TWO boys have been crushed to death after a riverbank collapsed on them as desperate cops tried to dig them out with their bare hands.
Luti Maui Mafi, 11, and Paul Mason Lloyd, 10, were playing by the Tarawera River in New Zealand when the heart-breaking accident occurred.
The popular swimming spot became the sight of a terrible tragedy when the bank collapsed and killed the two boys.
Emergency services were called and two police officers swam across the river to rescue the children.
Tragically, their efforts came too late and the boys died at the scene.
The friends of Luti and Paul were reportedly pleading for help when the children became stuck.
“Our kids were in distress telling me their mate is stuck under the bank” said Kurūtia Tanoa, a local resident who rushed to the scene.
According to Tanoa, there were originally three children trapped under the bank but one managed to wriggle free.
Heartfelt tributes to the boys have poured out from across the community, including from their schools and rugby clubs.
Lloyd’s mother paid a heartbreaking tribute to “our beloved son” on social media.
She said: “Paul was a talented young man who loved the outdoors and was always on the go. He always had a bright smile that lightened the room”.
The family of Mafi, 11, said he was a treasured and much-loved son, moko, nephew, cousin and friend.
“He brought light, laughter and kindness into the lives of all who knew him. His bright spirit and gentle soul will be forever remembered and deeply missed,” they added.
The school Luti attended poured out their condolences, calling the death of its pupil “a heartbreaking loss”.
Both schools of the boys will close for two days in mourning.
The regional mayor Faylene Tunui also paid tribute to the deaths of the children with “the heaviest heart”.
He said: “Together we stand in love and solidarity with the families who are in mourning for their precious loved ones.”
