Jerusalem Man, 24, Dies in Kayak Accident in Norway

A 24-year-old Israeli man from Jerusalem died in a kayak accident on Lake Vangsvatnet, near Voss in western Norway, during a trip. His Israeli friend, who was with him, was rescued conscious and taken to a local hospital for medical treatment. The incident occurred on Wednesday afternoon when a citizen noticed an empty vessel drifting in the water and alerted emergency services. A large-scale search operation was launched, involving rescue teams, helicopters, an air ambulance, drones, dog handlers, and volunteers. The search took place in harsh weather conditions, including strong winds and high waves. One of the young men was rescued conscious, while his friend was found after about two hours. Rescuers performed CPR on him, and he was airlifted to Haukeland University Hospital in Bergen, where his death was pronounced. Israel's Embassy in Oslo and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Department for Israelis in Distress are handling the case with local authorities and are in contact with the deceased's family. Concurrently, ZAKA's international unit is working with the Foreign Ministry to prevent an autopsy, secure the body's release, and arrange its swift transfer to Israel for burial.