Missing Israeli Women Fail to Board Flight From Prague Amid Extensive Search in Vienna

Mali and Liel Yahalomi, two Israeli women missing since last Friday and last seen in Vienna, were booked on an El Al flight from Prague to Tel Aviv but did not board. Despite hopes, their absence from the flight raised concerns as no contact has been made with their families since their disappearance. Phone tracking efforts have yielded no leads, and no credit card transactions have been recorded since they went missing.

The Jewish community in Vienna has launched a wide search operation, involving local Jews and Israeli tourists. Rabbi Reuven Timsit, a Chabad emissary in Vienna, told C14 that there are currently no clues regarding their whereabouts. The women observe the Sabbath but did not register for Sabbath meals at Chabad or any kosher hotels in the city. The community continues to pray for their safe return.

The search is complicated by Vienna's location as a central European hub, allowing easy travel to neighboring countries like Germany, Hungary, and Slovakia without border checks. Earlier on Tuesday, the Israeli Foreign Ministry issued a public appeal for information about the women’s location, and the Israeli embassy in Vienna shared the announcement on social media. Austrian police have declined to provide details due to privacy regulations.