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A 10-year-old Vietnamese boy fell into a hole in a concrete pillar on Dec. 31, 2022.

The boy, named Thái Lý Hào Nam, is reportedly still trapped in the hole despite efforts to free him.

Rescuers working day and night to save boy

Nam entered a construction site in the southern Dong Thap Province to collect scrap iron with three other children, Viet Nam News reported.

Unfortunately, he fell into the hole which is just 25 centimetres wide, but 35 metres deep. Footage of his fall at around 11:30am was captured by a nearby close-circuit television camera.

A rescue team arrived at the site around half an hour later and attempted to extract him using various methods, such as trying to pull the pillar out using excavators and cranes, according to Viet Nam News. However, they were unsuccessful.

As of time of writing, Nam's condition is unknown.

Race against time

Rescue efforts were also paused slightly on Monday, Jan. 2, to wait for the arrival of more vehicles and equipment. A drizzle also slowed down the rescue process.

Oxygen has been pumped into the hole to help Nam breathe, but the pile had tilted slightly due to softened soil which in turn made rescue efforts trickier, according to Reuters.

There was no response from the boy when rescuers lowered a camera into the pillar hole on Jan. 2.

Water was also lowered into the hole for Nam, but there was "no sign" of him using the water, Viet Nam News reported, citing local authorities.

Vietnam PM urges more robust rescue efforts

The Prime Minister of Vietnam, Pham Minh Chinh, urged for the mobilisation of all possible manpower and equipment on Jan. 2 to rescue the boy, Tuoi Tre News reported.

Pile drilling machines were brought to the construction site from Thap Muoi District on the afternoon of Jan. 1, according to Tuoi Tre News. Within 20 hours, three spots around the concrete hole were drilled in an attempt to extract the pile, but to no avail.

Chinh called on local authorities to coordinate efforts with relevant ministries to rescue Nam as soon as possible.

The relevant parties were also requested to keep in contact with the boy’s worried family members. 

Top images by STR/AFP via Getty Images