Israeli Tourist Dies in Paragliding Accident in Colombia

A 22-year-old Israeli man from the Sharon region, a discharged soldier, died Friday in a paragliding accident near the city of Bello in Colombia's Antioquia department. The young man was on a post-army backpacking trip in South America. He was paragliding with a local instructor when their tandem parachute crashed in a forested, mountainous area, apparently due to severe weather conditions.

Fire services recovered the body of the Israeli, whose death was pronounced at the scene. The instructor sustained serious injuries. Eyewitnesses reported strong winds prior to the incident. The office of the mayor of Bello stated that the incident, which is under investigation, likely occurred due to weather. The tandem parachute lost control and crashed in a wooded area. Local authorities have opened an investigation into the circumstances of the crash, noting that initial checks indicated the business was operating legally.

Chabad emissaries, in coordination with the Israeli Embassy, are working with authorities to expedite the return of the deceased's body to Israel for burial. ZAKA's international division director, Baruch Nidham, confirmed his team is liaising with local officials to facilitate the repatriation. This incident follows two other recent deaths of Israelis abroad: a 66-year-old man who died in a cycling accident in Finland last month and a 4-year-old boy who drowned in a swimming pool in Mexico during a family vacation two weeks prior.