The Spanish authorities said early Saturday that they had found the body of a 2-year-old boy who fell into a well nearly two weeks ago, bringing to a tragic end a search operation that had gripped the nation.

The toddler, Julen Roselló, was said to have slipped into an abandoned, narrow borehole on Jan. 13, while his parents were preparing lunch in the countryside near the southern port city of Málaga.

His fall set off a rescue mission that was covered around the clock by Spanish news outlets.

As the operation encountered engineering and geological obstacles, it grew to include about 300 people, including Spanish mining specialists and a Swedish company that provided the technology to help save 33 Chilean miners in 2010.

Officials had tried various routes to the toddler, whose body was trapped behind hardened soil and rock that blocked rescue workers and equipment.

A government official, Alfonso Rodríguez Gómez de Celis, said that Julen’s body was found at 1:25 a.m. Saturday.

A group of miners used a series of controlled explosions to help them excavate the last few meters of earth separating them from the child.

Over the past two weeks, rescuers worked day and night to find Julen.


Three days after Julen disappeared, the authorities confirmed that he was in the well with hair taken from excavated mud, which a preliminary DNA test found belonged to the boy.

Officials then decided to build two tunnels to reach the toddler, but one route was quickly abandoned because of the risk of landslides.

Initially, Julen’s case drew hopeful parallels with successful rescues, like the 12 boys and their soccer coach who were saved from a cave in Thailand last summer.

In Texas in 1987,18-month old Jessica McClure was rescued from a narrow well after being trapped for 58 hours.

On Saturday, Mr. Rodríguez Gómez de Celis, said at a news conference that the rescue mission had ended “with the certainty of having done everything humanly possible but with the misfortune of having reached an unwanted end.”

He said the rescue effort should serve as “a model for other emergencies,” while recognizing the scale of the unexpected problems encountered by the rescuers.

“It looked like the mountain was fighting back against each and all of the works that were being undertaken,” he said.




Earlier threads:



https://www.nairaland.com/4972820/two-years-old-boy-trapped

https://www.nairaland.com/4981736/238million-rescue-operation-save-spanish




https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/25/world/europe/spain-boy-well-found.html

The Civil Guard has released footage showing rescue workers trying to reach the body of a two-year-old boy who fell into a 250ft deep well nearly two weeks ago.

During the video, specialist miners work frantically to reach the body of Julen Rosello- who was found at 1.25am local time on Saturday after rescuers dug out a 13ft horizontal tunnel by hand.




The Civil Guard thanked those from all over Spain 'chasing a dream that unfortunately could not come true'.

The parents in floods of tears yesterday as they waited painfully for updates on Julen.

Rescuers found the two-year-old's body at 1.25am today.

The couple maintained hope throughout the 12-day ordeal, saying they were praying Oliver is looking down on Julen from heaven and keeping him safe.

The Government, police, fire fighters, Civil Guard, the whole country
all came together, prayed, worked, day and night with the Hope of finding you alive.


They never gave up on you.


So sad, Rest in Peace youngster.

God bless Spanish Government, God bless everyone for their effort.

Nawa o, he later died

RIP

Is it not possible dey throw food for him as his in the hole. I feel sad for his parent it will hurt dem.

Rest in Peace young one

The level of optimism in Oyinbo people is outstanding.



If it was Africa, people would have advised his parents to just fill up the borehole and erect a tombstone right there.

So sad...

So unfortunate, The parents must be broken. read they once had a 3yr old boy who died from heart related issues. Tragedy just seems to follow them.

So sad he died although a bit expected. He was there for days, an adult might have survived.

ifyalways:
So sad he died although a bit expected. He was there for days, an adult might have survived.

It's a 300 ft drop and if you factor in the heat for over a week I doubt anyone could have survived it

hahn:


It's a 300 ft drop and if you factor in the heat for over a week I doubt anyone could have survived it

True.

Eyaaaah!!!! The little man didn't make it

I was actually hoping for the impossible. to the family take heart

Damn!....quite sad nd touchy

So sorry.. Is well

Blakjewelry:
I was actually hoping for the impossible. to the family take heart

That's why they called it dreaming the impossible.

12 days is a long long time for a two year old to hokd on without food/water.
I kept wondering if at all the boy was alive

Omoluabi16:
So unfortunate, The parents must be broken. read they once had a 3yr old boy who died from heart related issues. Tragedy just seems to follow them.

Yea, two years ago.

Think they're childless now.

Despite all odds they went all the way based on hope.

That's a country where one life matters much more than money. The parents can't afford to pay for all those equipment and specialist but the government took it to task for one person.

In Nigeria if your house is on fire before fire service appears your surrounding neighbourhood would be engulfed. Off course they wont arrive with water.

Police would run when thieves are in action every man for himself here. Jah for us all

Imagine trauma he would have gone through before giving up. RIP little one

God console his parents and bless the Spanish Government.

H

Explorers:
So sad, Rest in Peace youngster.

God bless Spanish Government, God bless everyone for their effort.

This is touching

armadeo:
Despite all odds they went all the way based on hope.

Yea, that's what makes more painful.

All the efforts, sacrifice of the government and those men working day and night.

Government spending almost #250million to rescue a common kid, ordinary citizen.

Rest in peace boy.The Spanish government did their best.it is well

chijioke17:
Nawa o, he later died

He is 2 years old man. Mostly died from starvation. Throwing food into the hole is useless because he is not smart enough to know what to do.

Explorers:


Yea, that's what makes more painful.

All the efforts, sacrifice of the government and those men working day and night.

Government spending almost #250million to rescue a common kid, ordinary citizen.

What you have there is a system that works and value the life of it's citizen. Look at the reaction to an uncommon event. In Nigeria, something as common as accidents we still can't provide emergency services.