Emergency teams were carrying out a major rescue operation in southwestern Algeria on Friday after a 10-year-old boy fell into an 80-metre-deep dry well, according to Algeria’s Civil Defence.
The boy, identified as Ayoub, fell into the narrow well in the village of El Roken, in the El Ghassoul municipality of El Bayadh province, while walking home.
He stepped on a wooden plank covering the well’s opening, but it collapsed beneath him, sending him into the shaft.
Ayoub was heard calling out to his father from the bottom of the well, saying: “Dad, get me out.”
The well, which was dug without protective casing, is less than 40 centimetres wide, making a direct descent extremely dangerous.
Rescuers said the operation was further complicated by unstable soil and earth that had fallen into the shaft, burying part of it to a depth of about 30 metres, where Ayoub is believed to be trapped.
Heavy machinery was being used to dig a parallel trench beside the well. Rescuers planned to tunnel horizontally from the trench to reach the boy from the side and avoid triggering further collapses.
Footage from the scene showed excavation work continuing under close supervision, while additional rescue teams, equipment and logistical support were deployed.
The operation was being overseen by the governor of El Bayadh and the regional director of Civil Defence.
Ayoub’s family and residents across Algeria were awaiting updates as rescuers continued efforts to reach him.
