A Moroccan channel, "Chouf," published an interview with the father of Moroccan child Rayan, who tragically died after falling into a well. In the interview, the father revealed the last words his child uttered after the fall into the well, just before Rayan was retrieved from the well yesterday evening and his death was officially announced.
The incident brought sorrow to Moroccan and Arab streets, as well as to all those who followed the story of child Rayan's fall, with many hoping for his safe rescue.
"Help me... help me," were Rayan's cries. The channel aired footage of a person standing at the well opening, repeatedly calling out for Rayan, to which a faint voice of the child responded, starting to cry, "Help me, help me."
Rayan's father expressed that his son was no longer just his child, but became the son of all Moroccans who mourned for him. He mentioned that he was unsure how Rayan fell into the well, having previously stated that he went to pray and, upon returning, found Rayan missing. Initially, he suspected kidnapping, but later learned that Rayan had fallen into the well.
The father affirmed that rescuing Rayan appeared difficult as he had spent about five days inside the well. The father had sought the help of Moroccan authorities, and rescue teams initially attempted to save him by sending someone down, but that effort failed due to the narrowness of the well, which is 62 meters deep, while Rayan was stuck approximately midway down.
In response to this, Moroccan authorities resorted to horizontal drilling alongside the well to create a tunnel to reach the point where the child was trapped. All indicators and statements suggested that he was still alive.
However, a shocking announcement came from the Moroccan royal palace regarding the official death of the child, just minutes after he was retrieved from the well and transferred by ambulance to an awaiting aircraft for transportation to a hospital.
