Woman hunting shark teeth needs rescue when excavation collapses, Florida cops say

A woman hunting ancient shark teeth was buried alive when an excavation wall collapsed on her, according to rescuers in southwest Florida.

The woman survived, but required hospitalization, North Port Fire Rescue reports. Her identity and details of her injuries were not released.

It happened around 8 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 24, near the Grand Palm subdivision in Venice, rescue officials said in a news release. The North Port-Venice area is about 90 miles south of Tampa.

“The call was initially dispatched as a possible fall with a suspected leg injury. Rescue (personnel) arrived to find an adult female at the base of an excavation site where she had been digging for sharks teeth,” North Port Fire Rescue reports.

“The digging at the base caused the wall to collapse, briefly covering the victim completely. Friends who were with the victim were able to free her from underneath the pile.”

She was “alert and oriented” when North Port Fire Rescue arrived. However, the woman was stuck at the bottom of a 12-foot excavation site that was bordered by water on the opposite side, officials said.

Ropes and a basket were used to “bring the victim up to ground level” so she could be taken by helicopter to a hospital, officials said.

Collecting ancient shark teeth, particularly megalodon teeth, is a common hobbyist pursuit along waterways and excavation sites in Florida.

This story was originally published November 27, 2023 at 6:24 AM with the headline "Woman hunting shark teeth needs rescue when excavation collapses, Florida cops say."