Rescue helicopter evacuates driver after van falls into ditch near Hamat Gader

A commercial vehicle slid down a slope and into a drainage ditch near Hamat Gader in the Golan Heights on Monday morning, triggering a difficult rescue operation. The driver was found outside the vehicle in serious condition, in rugged terrain that made access to him very hard.

Fire crews from the Tiberias station were dispatched after a call to the Northern District 102 emergency center, along with personnel from Unit 669 of the Air Force and a rescue helicopter. Fire and Rescue commander Meir Albaz said responders reached the scene and found the driver on the mountainside outside the car. He said firefighters, Unit 669 and medical teams worked together to extract the injured man, lift him safely out of the difficult terrain and hand him over for further treatment.

The evacuation was carried out by a Unit 669 helicopter, which landed near the site and flew the injured driver to a hospital. His condition was later described as serious.

The Hamat Gader area, in southern Ramat HaGolan near the Syrian border, is known for steep and challenging terrain. Over the past year, several rescue incidents have taken place there because of the topography and deep ditches. Police are now investigating how the vehicle rolled into the ditch. A similar rescue was reported a few months ago nearby, when a hyena cub fell into a drainage ditch and was rescued by Nature and Parks Authority inspectors with Border Police assistance.