Race against time in El Bayadh to rescue 10-year-old trapped in 80-metre well

Rescuers in Algeria’s El Bayadh province are racing to reach a 10-year-old boy trapped at the bottom of a dry artesian well 80 metres deep.

The accident happened on a family farm between national roads RN 107 and RN 47, in the municipality of El Ghassoul. Civil Protection teams and local authorities have mobilized at the site under the direct supervision of El Bayadh wali Noureddine Belaribi, alongside military, security and local officials.

Heavy machinery and excavation equipment are drilling a vertical shaft parallel to the well. The goal is to create a safe route to the child. Thermal cameras and specialized well probes are being used to locate him and monitor his health in real time.

Specialized GRIMP units are leading the dangerous operation, supported by Civil Protection reinforcements from Mascara and the National Training and Intervention Unit. Crews are proceeding carefully to avoid a landslide or the collapse of the well walls, which could endanger both the boy and the rescuers.

A medical team is standing by around the clock to provide emergency care once the child is brought out. Psychological support is also being offered to his family as excavation work continues.