Rescuers work around the clock to save boy stuck in well in northern Morocco

Rabat, Feb 4 (EFE).- Moroccan rescue services have been working around the clock for three days to rescue a five-year-old boy who has been trapped in a well in the northern province of Chefchaouen.

Rayan fell in the 34-meter deep well while playing near his home on Tuesday afternoon and was discovered when he was heard crying.

Machines have been digging vertically to a depth of over 27-meters and emergency workers are now planning to start digging horizontally.

Local authorities told Efe there was still hope the boy was alive even though the state of his health remains unknown.

Rescuers have been sending food and water down the well.

“Rayan has not eaten, but there is hope that he is still alive,” a member of the emergency services, Abdelhadi Tamrani, told reporters on site.

He went on to say that the risk of collapse remained present due to the fragility of the terrain, composed mainly of clayey soil.

This poses a risk both to Rayan and rescue workers.

The event has caused a great commotion in Morocco, where social networks have been filled with photos and messages of solidarity with the child’s parents. EFE

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