Race against time to save 10-year-old trapped in narrow Algerian well

Algerian civil defence teams are racing against time to rescue 10-year-old Ayoub after he fell into a dry, narrow artesian well in the southwestern Algerian province of Beid. The rescue efforts, which have been ongoing for the past two days, have generated widespread attention and concern. On Friday, the Civil Protection Services announced that its teams continue to work around the clock. It stressed that the rescue operation has reached advanced stages while mobilising the human and material resources needed to reach the child and bring him out safely. At the same time, it denied reports circulating on social media claiming that he had been found or that the operation had ended. The accident occurred on Wednesday afternoon when Ayoub fell into the well in the village of Al-Roken, in the municipality of Al-Ghasoul in the district of Brezina. A wooden board covering the well's opening collapsed as the child passed over it. The well is about 80 metres deep and no more than 40 centimetres in diameter. This has made direct access to the child extremely difficult and prompted rescue teams to carry out parallel excavation work beside the well. The aim is to open a side passage at the level where he is believed to be trapped. The operation faces significant challenges due to the rocky terrain and the narrow well. The well was dug using conventional methods and is not fitted with a pipe to support its walls. Large amounts of dust inside the well have also increased the risk of collapse, requiring excavation work to be carried out with extreme caution to ensure the safety of both the child and rescue personnel. Heavy machinery continues to carve out the parallel shaft, while specialised teams monitor soil conditions and assess the remaining distance before moving to the horizontal drilling phase. The Civil Protection Services confirmed that operations are continuing according to precise procedures while avoiding any step that could destabilise the soil surrounding the well. Ayoub's family and local residents are enduring anxious hours as they await developments in the rescue operation. The incident has also drawn widespread attention across Algeria, topping discussions on social media platforms amid hopes for the success of the rescue efforts and the child's safe recovery. The incident has recalled the tragedy of Moroccan child Rayyan, who was trapped for five days in a narrow well in the Chefchaouen region in 2022 before being declared dead after he was pulled out.