Israeli Tourist Dies in Norwegian Kayak Accident, Friend Injured

A 24-year-old Israeli man from Jerusalem has died in a kayaking accident in Norway's Vangsvatnet lake, near Voss. His companion, who was with him during the incident, was rescued and hospitalized. The accident occurred on Wednesday afternoon when a civilian spotted what appeared to be an empty vessel adrift and alerted emergency services.

A large-scale rescue operation was launched, involving water rescue teams, helicopters, drones, and search dogs. The operation faced challenging weather conditions, including strong winds and high waves, which hampered visibility and search efforts. Firefighters managed to pull one of the men from the water; he was conscious and taken to a local hospital in Voss.

However, his friend remained missing for approximately two hours. After an intensive search, rescue teams located him and performed life-saving resuscitation efforts on the shore. He was then airlifted to Haukeland University Hospital in Bergen, where he was pronounced dead. The Israeli Embassy in Oslo and the Department for Israelis Abroad at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are handling the case, liaising with Norwegian authorities and providing support to the deceased's family and the injured friend.

ZAKA's Operations Deputy Director, Haim Weingarten, stated that the organization is working with the Foreign Ministry and local Norwegian authorities to facilitate the return of the body to Israel as soon as possible and to assist the family.