World News | Shaky Soil Threatens Rescue of Moroccan Boy Trapped in Well
Get latest articles and stories on World at LatestLY. A third day of efforts to rescue a 5-year-old boy who fell into a well in northern Morocco was halted for a time on Friday following concerns about ground stability, fuelling despair among those hoping to reach him.
Rabat, Feb 4 (AP) A third day of efforts to rescue a 5-year-old boy who fell into a well in northern Morocco was halted for a time on Friday following concerns about ground stability, fuelling despair among those hoping to reach him.
The boy, identified as Rayan, fell into a 32-metre (105-feet) deep well located outside his home in the northern village of Ighran in Morocco's Chefchaouen province on Tuesday evening.
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“Digging has stopped momentarily out of concern that the ground surrounding the well could collapse," rescue committee member Abdelhadi Temrani told local television 2M.
Search crews used five bulldozers to dig vertically to a depth of more than 31 meters, according to Morocco's official MAP news agency.
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Preparations are underway to start digging horizontally to create a pathway to reach the trapped boy, MAP said, adding that experts in topographical engineering were called upon for help.
Rescue workers used a rope to provide oxygen and water to the boy, but were unable to reach him via the hole where he is trapped due to its narrow diameter.
Medical staff, including specialists in resuscitation, are on site to attend to the boy once he is pulled out, with a helicopter on standby to transport him to the nearest hospital.
The Moroccan government said Thursday that all efforts are being made to help save the boy.
Moroccans took to social media to offer their hopes for the boy's survival, using the hashtag #SaveRayan which has brought global attention to the rescue efforts.
“I pray and beg God that he comes out of that well alive and safe,” his mother Wassima Kharchich told 2M. “Please God, ease my pain and his, in that hole of dust.” (AP)
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)