Effort to free boy trapped in well ongoing in Morocco

Rescuers inched closer early Saturday to reaching a five-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.

Search crews first used five bulldozers over days to dig vertically to a depth of more than 31 meters, according to Morocco's official MAP news agency. Then on Friday, they started excavating a horizontal tunnel to reach the trapped boy, MAP said.

Rescue workers used a rope to provide oxygen and water to the boy, but were unable to reach him via the hole where he is trapped due to its narrow diameter.

Medical staff, including specialists in resuscitation, are on site to attend to the boy once he is pulled out, with a helicopter on standby to transport him to the nearest hospital.