Two boys died this afternoon after a heap of sand collapsed on a group of children at the Kanaan C location in Epako, Gobabis.

According to a police incident report, the collapse occurred at a large excavated area.

A passerby heard calls for help and found three boys trapped under the sand. The man managed to pull them out, and they told him that two others were still buried.

Emergency teams dug through the site until they located the two remaining boys, who were declared dead.

The deceased were identified as Paulus Mukuya, 7, and Dennis Eiseb, 10.

The bodies were transported to the Gobabis State Hospital mortuary for autopsy.

Next of kin have been informed.