The tragic incident claimed the life of the youngster named Riccardo, who was on holiday at the beach on Montalto di Castro on Italy with his family.
He had dug the one and a half metre deep hole as he played with his two youngest siblings, aged three and eight, while their dad took a nap.
The two younger siblings left Riccardo to his digging, but an urgent man hunt was launched for the boy when his family realised he was missing.
The dad, swimmers and lifeguards all began digging with their hands while they waited for emergency services to arrive, reports the Mirror.
Despite the quick response from police and an air ambulance, their efforts were in vain as the 17 year old was declared dead on the spot, reports the Daily Record.
One beachgoer described the scene to local news reporters, recalling how “He had built a tunnel. He wanted to enter from one side and exit from the other.
“But as he passed through, when he reached the centre, everything collapsed and the hole was completely covered.
“You couldn’t see anything anymore, you could have walked right through it and not noticed a thing.”
The local mayor Emanuela Socciarelli told reporters: “A tragedy that has left us all shocked. It’s unthinkable that a young man could lose his life in this way.
“I want to offer my sincere condolences to this family, to whom we are all truly deeply connected.”