Elderly Man Drowns in Dead Sea Amid Multiple Recent Drowning Incidents in Israel

An approximately 80-year-old man drowned in the Dead Sea on Tuesday. Paramedics from Magen David Adom (MDA) arrived at the scene after he was pulled from the water unconscious and without a pulse. Despite resuscitation efforts, paramedic Mahmad Azbargha confirmed that the man was pronounced dead at the scene.

This incident follows a tragic weekend in which two 13-year-old girls, Hala Azam and Iman Khir from Abu Snan in the Western Galilee, drowned after being swept away by a current in the Jordan River near Kibbutz Lehavot HaBashan. Their friend managed to escape and alerted rescue forces, who conducted extensive searches before finding the girls deceased hours later.

Additionally, a 13-year-old boy was hospitalized in serious condition at Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikva after drowning in a pool in the Emek Hefer Regional Council area. MDA teams provided initial life-saving treatment, including resuscitation and assisted ventilation.

On Friday, three drowning cases occurred within hours: a man in his 40s drowned at Delilah Beach in Ashkelon and was hospitalized in critical condition at Barzilai Medical Center; two 21-year-old men drowned at Jerusalem Beach in Rishon Lezion, with one in serious and the other in moderate condition after being rescued by lifeguards; and a 20-year-old man drowned at Atlit Beach, also in serious condition.

These incidents highlight a recent surge in drowning accidents across Israel’s beaches and waterways, prompting ongoing rescue and medical responses.