Five-year-old Rayan Awram died after falling into a 105-foot shaft outside his home in the Moroccan village of Ighran in northern Chefchaouen province and was trapped there for five days
Image: ITV)
The father of a five-year-old boy, who died after being trapped at the bottom of a well for almost a week, gave an emotional goodbye at his son’s funeral.
Hundreds came to pay their respects to Rayan Awram, who fell down a 105-foot shaft outside his home in the Moroccan village of Ighran in northern Chefchaouen province last week.
Rescue workers raced against the clock to save the child after Tuesday’s accident. However, after it was finally freed on Saturday, it was revealed it could not be revived.
Government officials confirmed that Rayan died while still in the well.
On Monday, mourners descended on the local cemetery, located at the top of a steep dirt road, and waited for hours to see the traditional Muslim funeral service.
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Image:
AFP via Getty Images)
Grieving parents Khaled Aourram and Wassima Kharchich were transported in an ambulance.
Mr Aourram told broadcaster Chouf TV: “May God be with my son.”
Rayan’s aunt Atiqua Awram said, “My nephew, my heart aches too much for him. May God be with him as God was with us.”
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AFP via Getty Images)
Two large tents had been set up in front of the family home for mourners to offer their condolences.
A 50-year-old villager said he had never seen so many people at a funeral and described Rayan as “the son of all of us”.
Volunteer digger Ali Sahraoui told reporters, “We spared no effort to get the boy alive. We excavated around the clock in five days what could have taken weeks.”
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AFP via Getty Images)
On Sunday, Moroccan international Abderrazak Hamdallah, who plays for Al-Ittihad, offered his “deepest condolences” in an Instagram message.
Meanwhile, Morocco’s King Mohammed VI spoke. offered his condolences to the family and praised the rescue teams and the local community.
Bulldozers were used to dig a huge trench in the side of the hill next to the well during rescue efforts.
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AFP via Getty Images)
The shaft was considered too narrow to reach Rayan otherwise, and attempting to widen it was too risky.
Engineers and topographers were involved, and civil defense personnel were also seen hanging from a rope.
A hole was dug horizontally to the well on Saturday, with rescuers also installing PVC pipes to protect themselves from landslides.
On the same day, a rope was used to send oxygen and water to the boy, as well as a camera to monitor him.
Footage from the previous day had shown Rayan lying at the bottom of the well.
Ms Kharchich said at the time: “I pray and plead with God that he comes out of this well alive and safe.
“Please God ease my pain and his in this dust hole.
Mr Aourram said he was repairing the well when his son fell in and watched anxiously throughout the rescue mission, thanking those involved.
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