IGHRAN, Morocco (AP) — An eerie silence has fallen on a Moroccan village after a 5-year-old boy who had been trapped in a well for four days was reached, but too late. The community of Ighran, a village in a mountainous area in northern Morocco, had gathered for days and nights along the edges of the well to cheer the rescue efforts of the boy, Rayan, and offer support to his family. Millions watched the rescue operation on state TV. The boy was pulled out Saturday night by rescuers after a lengthy operation that captivated global attention. A statement from Moroccan king said he had died. Messages of sadness and grief poured in from around the world.

Mosa'ab Elshamy/AP
A man distributes bread to people as they watch civil defense workers and local authorities attempt to rescue a 5-year-old boy who fell into a hole in the northern village of Ighran in Morocco's Chefchaouen province, Friday, Feb. 4, 2022. Rescuers inched closer Friday to reaching a 5-year-old boy trapped for three days in a well in Morocco, in an operation hampered by concerns about ground stability that has captivated the North African country.(AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

Posted at 4:09 PM, Feb 06, 2022
and last updated 2022-02-06 16:09:12-05
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