Israeli Tourist Dies in Norwegian Kayak Accident

A 24-year-old Israeli man from Jerusalem died Wednesday in a kayaking accident on Lake Vangsvatnet in western Norway. His friend, who was with him, was rescued from the water conscious and taken to a local hospital. The Israeli embassy in Oslo and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are assisting the family and coordinating with local authorities.

According to Norwegian media reports, the incident began when a civilian spotted an empty, drifting kayak and alerted emergency services. A large-scale search operation was launched, involving rescue teams, helicopters, an air ambulance, drones, K9 units, and volunteers. The search was hampered by severe weather conditions, including strong winds and high waves.

Rescue teams initially recovered one of the Israelis, who was conscious and received on-site medical treatment before being transported to a hospital in Voss. His companion remained missing, and searches continued for approximately two hours. He was eventually found and pulled from the water. Rescuers performed resuscitation efforts before he was airlifted by helicopter to Haukeland University Hospital in Bergen, where his death was pronounced.

ZAKA's Operations Deputy Director, Haim Weingarten, stated, "This is a tragic and difficult event. Upon receiving the report, we began operating with the ZAKA International Unit and in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, coordinating with local authorities in Norway. We are currently working to advance the necessary procedures and assist the family as much as possible, with the aim of expediting the release of the body and its transfer to Israel as soon as possible."