Many wells are in a state of disrepair and, as the picture shows, can be a death trap, especially for small children and animals.
A shocking statistic is that, in the last five years, some 79 people have died after falling into wells. That’s far more than have died from rural fires over this period standing at 22, including 19 operatives (source: AGIF). The number of injuries from well accidents is not known.
These accidents have ranged from young children to the elderly, from north to south of the country. This need not have happened if the owner of the well had made them safe as required by law.
Some examples of incidents
One of the most tragic instances was in 2022 when a 22-year-old British man, who had been missing for a week, was found dead inside a well in São Bartolomeu de Messines. Earlier, his vehicle was located “locked and parked” in a field in Messines, in the municipality of Silves.
Following this discovery, the search continued by firefighters and GNR officers, supported by search dogs, who located the body inside a well. Safe Communities subsequently visited the site and it was clear that the state of the well posed a risk.
However, it is not only humans that can become victims. In June 2022, the Lagos Fire Department mobilized 10 operatives to rescue a foal (about one month old) that had fallen into a well in Vale da Lama, Lagos. The well was uncovered and about 15 metres deep. It was a complex operation but successfully concluded given the effectiveness and operability of the operatives involved.
A risk known for a long time
This is not a new risk, but one that has existed for many decades. As long ago as 2006, it was reported that, in recent years, in the municipality of Ourém alone, “three more children have been recorded as having died in wells. Despite this, residents say there are still countless wells without protection or covering”.
The problem has several explanations and, apparently, few solutions. Land in the interior is increasingly abandoned, with many vacant lots and small plots, and heirs don’t always agree on how to divide the properties. The result is neglect and deterioration of well guards and covers, putting curious children at particular risk.
There are many, many wells, some enclosed in properties, but there also those in fields, near pathways and roads, often on land which has not been maintained. Wells camouflaged by vegetation and without adequate protection (like the one in the photo) are real traps and represent a great danger to people and animals.
In addition to the deaths, there have been many more accidents, where people have fallen into a well and have been rescued by neighbours or the emergency services, putting the rescuers themselves in danger.
Wells are also places where criminals can easily dispose of items, such as weapons for example, and in the case of missing persons are frequently searched by emergency services.
The law
It is mandatory to protect or effectively cover wells, cracks and other irregularities existing in any land and capable of causing disastrous falls to people and animals.
- Article 44. Efficacy of the cover or guard
1 – For the purposes of this law, any plate that completely obstructs the excavation offers resistance to an overload of 100 kg/m2.
2 – The guard must be constituted by lifting the walls of the pit or cavity to a minimum height of 80 cm from the surface of the ground or by another construction that, surrounding the excavation, obeys that requirement, provided that, in any case, it supports a force of 100 kg.
- Article 46. Walled or fenced properties
The provisions of this section do not cover properties that are walled OR EFFECTIVELY fenced.
If you own land, check the well is covered as required by law. If your land is sizeable, you may not be aware of these.
If you are buying land, check with the estate agent the presence of wells, and arrange for them to be made safe.
Enforcement
In 2023, this issue was raised by Safe Communities with GNR Faro District, and many examples of uncovered wells were discovered and enforcement action taken. It was not only in Algarve, however.
In 2023, the Territorial Command of Castelo Branco, through the Castelo Branco Environmental Protection Core (NPA), during an inspection operation aimed at the management of the territory, some violations were detected, namely the inspection of wells coverage.
The Moroccan experience which captured global attention
Many of these tragedies go unnoticed, but this was not the case of five-year-old Rayan Oram in Morocco, who in February 2022 spent five days trapped after falling down a narrow, 32-metre dry well. This sparked a complex earth-moving operation to try to extract him without triggering a landslide.
The hashtag #SaveRayan had captivated the world and was trended on social media and media such as the BBC, Guardian etc., as the vast rescue operation was streamed live. Users left messages of solidarity and sympathy as rescue teams worked around the clock to save him.
Civil protection services attached a mobile phone to a rope and lowered it down to communicate with Rayan and monitor him through live images throughout the rescue effort. It is believed that he sustained injuries to his head after images of his bloodied face had circulated online.
However, the rescue operation ended in tragedy, with Morocco’s royal palace announcing his death. The tragedy sparked a debate in the country about the proliferation and danger of illegal and unsafe wells. Morocco’s King Mohammed VI called the parents to voice his condolences.
The tragedy led to Saudi Arabia announcing, some months later, that it had “filled and fortified” nearly 2,500 abandoned wells in the kingdom after learning of this accident in Morocco.
How you can help
If you come across an uncovered well in the Algarve, contact the GNR at 289 249 542. In any other area, report to GNR SEPNA with photo and exact location.
Do not, however, venture onto private land in search of wells.
Your action could save someone’s life!
