Rescue workers in Algeria have recovered the body of a 10-year-old boy who became trapped in a well, bringing days of intensive rescue efforts to a tragic end.
The boy, identified as Ayoub Hadaf, fell into the dry well at a farm in Ghassoul, El Bayadh Province, in northwestern Algeria.
The Algerian government mobilised emergency resources to save the boy, while rescue operations continued for four consecutive days.
Nassim Bernaoui, spokesperson for the Algerian Civil Defence, said rescuers used two approaches to reach the trapped boy — locating a parallel vertical shaft and carrying out extensive excavation around the well.
“The rescue operation began in two ways: with the discovery of a parallel vertical shaft and through a large-scale excavation carried out by the rescue teams to reach the victim,” Bernaoui told reporters.
He said the rescue team successfully identified the layout of the shaft and used it to reach the boy.
“Unfortunately, he passed away. May God rest his soul,” he said.
The rescue operation attracted widespread attention across Algeria, with social media users following developments closely and appealing for efforts to save the child.
Rescuers faced significant challenges in reaching Ayoub, who was trapped beneath a thick layer of soil.
The well was reportedly about 80 metres deep but only 40 centimetres wide, making access extremely difficult and complicating efforts to safely retrieve the boy.
Eyewitnesses said the well had previously been covered, but its lining had deteriorated over time, leaving it vulnerable to collapse.
The recovery brought an end to a rescue operation that had gripped the country, as emergency workers battled difficult underground conditions in a desperate attempt to save the child.
