Israeli Dies in Kayak Accident in Norway, Friend Injured

A 24-year-old Israeli man from Jerusalem was killed Thursday in a kayaking accident in Norway. Another Israeli who was with him was injured and hospitalized in a local hospital.

Following the report, ZAKA's International Unit began coordinating with Norwegian authorities and relevant bodies, in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The primary goal is to prevent an autopsy of the deceased, secure the release of the body for burial, and arrange its transfer to Israel.

Chaim Weingarten, ZAKA's Deputy Operations Director, described the incident as "tragic and difficult." He stated that ZAKA is working with the Foreign Ministry and local Norwegian authorities to ensure the body is treated with respect and returned to Israel as soon as possible. "We are in contact with the relevant parties and will continue to act as needed," he added.

This incident follows another recent tragedy where a 22-year-old Israeli from the Sharon region died in a paragliding accident in Colombia two weeks prior. The young man, an army veteran on a post-military trip in South America, died when his paraglider, along with a local instructor, crashed in a mountainous forest, possibly due to severe weather conditions. Fire services recovered the body, and the instructor sustained serious injuries.