The Algerian Civil Protection teams continue a particularly delicate operation to reach Ayoub, a 10-year-old child who fell into an emptied artesian well in El Roken, in the commune of El Ghassoul, part of the El Bayadh province, in southwestern Algeria.
The narrowness of the well, the fragility of the terrain, and the risk of collapse force the rescue teams to proceed with extreme caution. As of the latest information available on Friday, September 4, 2026, operations were ongoing and no extraction of the child had been officially confirmed.
The Essentials
- Ayoub, aged 10, fell on Wednesday, September 2, into a well located in El Roken.
- The well reaches about 80 meters in depth, and its diameter does not exceed 40 centimeters.
- The Civil Protection chose to dig a parallel passage to reach the child from the side.
- No official information at this stage allows a precise assessment of Ayoub’s health.
“Dad, get me out of there”
According to his father’s account, reported by several local media outlets, Ayoub had been heard from inside the well, crying and asking to be rescued. The exact wording of these words has not been confirmed in a separate official communication.
The accident occurred on Wednesday, September 2, in the village of El Roken, in the El Ghassoul commune and the Brezina Daïra. The site lies between National Routes 107 and 47, in the El Bayadh province.
According to information released about the circumstances of the accident, Ayoub was returning home after bringing a meal to his brother, who was tending sheep in the region. While passing over a wooden board covering the well opening, it would have suddenly given way beneath his feet.
The child then fell into the conduit and disappeared from the sight of his relatives. The Algerian Civil Protection says it received the alert at 12:15 p.m., after which it deployed its first teams to the scene.
A deep, narrow, and unsecured well
According to the Civil Protection, the well was traditionally dug. It reaches about 80 meters in depth, while its diameter does not exceed 40 centimeters.
The facility does not have a protective tube to reinforce its walls. It would also be filled with earth up to a depth estimated at about thirty meters. Ayoub would be blocked beneath a substantial layer of earth, according to information provided by the rescuers.
These characteristics make any direct descent extremely dangerous. The diameter of the well does not allow a rescuer to access it normally, while the instability of the surrounding ground increases the risk of a new collapse.
A parallel passage to reach the child
After several attempts to access it, the rescue teams turned to a more complex method: digging a parallel passage to the well, then opening a horizontal access toward the location where Ayoub would be.
This technique must allow approaching the child without provoking the walls of the well to collapse. It, however, requires slow and meticulous progression, as every movement of the ground could further complicate the operation.
The teams initially engaged were reinforced by units specialized in difficult terrain interventions. Construction equipment, technical gear, inspection cameras, and substantial human and logistical resources were also mobilized.
The operation is conducted under the supervision of the authorities of the El Bayadh province and the Civil Protection officials. The digging work continues without interruption in order to reach the child as quickly as possible, while limiting risks to Ayoub and to the rescuers.
The operations are said to have reached an advanced stage
On Friday, the communications officer for the El Bayadh Civil Protection announced notable progress in the parallel digging. He indicated that the operation had reached an advanced stage and that the teams continued to work without interruption.
The Civil Protection, however, denied information circulating on social networks that Ayoub had already been found. As of the date of this update, searches are still ongoing.
No official updates also provide a precise assessment of the child’s health. Eyewitness accounts and unverified information circulated on social networks should, in this context, be treated with caution.
Images revealing the complexity of the rescue
Images released from the site of the accident show teams working around the digging area, with the support of machinery and technical means. They provide a glimpse into the difficulties imposed by the terrain’s configuration and the proximity of the well.
Ayoub’s family remains awaiting any information on the operation’s progress. The incident has also sparked a strong mobilization in Algeria, where many Internet users follow the developments and express their solidarity with the child and his family.
Photos and video footage from the intervention site are widely shared on social platforms. Several appeals have also been launched to strengthen the security of wells and prevent further accidents.
The memory of the Rayan tragedy
Ayoub’s accident recalls that of little Rayan Oram, who fell into a well in Morocco in February 2022. For several days, the operations to reach him were followed around the world. The child was ultimately retrieved dead.
The presence of a child in a narrow well, the use of a parallel digging, and the family’s agonizing wait explain the comparisons that appeared on social networks. The technical circumstances of the two accidents remain different, however.
In El Bayadh, the rescuers continue their operation with caution. No official deadline has been announced for the completion of the operation.
