The rescue operation in Algeria ended after the team found the body of a 10-year-old boy who fell into an 80-meter deep well and was trapped inside for four days. Despite officials mobilizing forces and heavy machinery to excavate the surrounding area to save him, the boy ultimately died.
Algerian rescue teams recovered the body of 10-year-old Ayoub Haddaf from the well on Saturday evening (5 Sept), but found he had already died after being trapped inside for four days. News of the rescue effort attracted widespread national attention, with many social media users urging officials to expedite the rescue.
Ayoub fell into a well near his home in Bresina municipality, El Bayadh Province, southern Algeria, about 550 kilometers from Algiers. The well is approximately 80 meters deep and only about 40 centimeters in diameter, making rescue efforts extremely challenging.
Algeria's civil defense agency stated that the well was a dry well dug by traditional methods, and parts of its structure had deteriorated over time. The rescue team found the boy trapped beneath a thick soil layer, preventing direct access to him.
Officials used heavy machinery to dig a large hole beside the well to create an access route to where the boy was trapped. They carefully mapped the position and structure of the well shaft before beginning the operation to extract the boy.
Ahmed Haddaf, the boy's grandfather, confirmed the news of his death and expressed his condolences. Nasim Bernaoui, spokesperson for Algeria's civil defense office, said the rescue operation succeeded in reaching the boy's location and safely recovering the body, but sadly the boy had already passed away.
Mohamed Haddaf, Ayoub's father, revealed that his son fell into the well while on his way to visit his older brother, who was herding sheep on the other side of the farmland. Local witnesses said the well had previously been covered, but the covering and internal structure had deteriorated over time, leading to this tragic incident.
The rescue operation continued for four days before officials ended the mission on Saturday night after successfully retrieving Ayoub's body from the well, though they were unable to save his life.
. AFP/ AP