Child rescued from the sand dune in Indiana after being trapped for hours

CHICAGO - A child of 6 years he spent more than three hours underground after being swallowed by a huge sand dune in Indiana was able to respond to the "simple commands" when arrived in a Chicago hospital, a spokesman said.

The child, whose survival was described as a "miracle" by a local coroner, remained in critical condition on Saturday at the Hospital of children eating and has responded well to being on a ventilator, Lorna Wong hospital spokeswoman said in a statement.

Hospital does not detail order it that boy said after his arrival. Wong later told The Associated Press that he could not say if the answers were an indication that he had regained consciousness. Name and City native child not have been released at the request of the family, he said.

Michigan City, Indiana, Ronnie Martin fire chief said WSBT-TV on Saturday that an air bag saved the child's life.

According to Bruce Rowe, a ranger in the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore Park along Lake Michigan, the family of the boy said that he was playing in the dune on Friday when it fell partially into it. While trying to dig out, dune collapsed, burying the child under 11 feet of sand, he said.

The family called 911, and attend emergencies were on the scene within 15 minutes and began to dig by hand, said Rowe. Teams with excavation equipment were brought in to help rescue efforts.

Martin told the television station in the area of South Bend, Indiana that firefighters located the child while the insistence of the dune, immediately once they detect the air bag to survive for so long under ground. He took out it and the boy was rushed to a hospital in Michigan City, then later flown to eat.

LaPorte County Deputy Coroner Mark Huffman said the sending of news of Michigan City that the survival of the child was a "miracle".

"It's completely amazing," he said.

The authorities were puzzled over the cause of the collapse, which Rowe called "unprecedented". The section of the dune, which is more than 125 meters tall and is known as mount Baldy, had been cordoned off for restoration work. It will remain closed at least for the weekend and until authorities can determine if it is still a danger.

Wong, spokeswoman for eating, said the family of the boy wanted to express gratitude to emergency responders and all those who helped in the rescue.

"Also ask that people include this little boy in their prayers," said.

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