Moroccans prepare funeral for boy, 5, who died in deep well
Parents of 5-year-old Rayan walk towards the tunnel as their son’s body was being retrieved, after he fell into a hole and was stuck there for several days, in the village of Ighran in Morocco’s Chefchaouen province, Feb. 5, 2022.
Preparations are underway in Morocco for the funeral of 5-year-old Rayan, who was pulled out dead from a 105-foot deep dry well where he was trapped for five days.
The boy was pulled out Saturday night by rescuers after a strenuous operation that captured global attention.
The funeral is expected to take place after noon prayers on Monday in Ighran, a village in the mountainous area of northern Morocco. The boy will be laid to rest in a plot among other family members at the hilltop Zawiya cemetery, four miles from the village.
Scores of mourners from all over the country are expected to flock to the funeral to pay their respects. Associated Press journalists have observed lots of security and state media at the scene. Meanwhile, villagers are coming to visit the parents’ house to pay their condolences. Two large tents have been set up in front of the modest house, serving breakfast to visitors.
The child’s body was transferred by helicopter to the military hospital in the capital Rabat. It is not yet clear if the boy underwent an autopsy.
Workers have now started filling in the massive hole that they dug to try to rescue the boy.