Israeli Mother and Daughter Found on Bus in Argentina After Disappearance in Europe

Mali and Liel Yehulomi, a mother and daughter from Modiin, Israel, who disappeared last week during a stay in Europe, were located on a bus in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Their sudden disappearance began when they missed a scheduled return flight from Prague to Israel and cut off all contact. Israeli police intelligence representative Walter Kogan, stationed in South America, boarded the bus after it was stopped by undercover local police vehicles and questioned the two women, who were shocked to encounter a Hebrew-speaking officer so far from home.

During the brief interrogation, Mali and Liel explained that they left Israel voluntarily and wanted to disconnect from their previous life. However, Israeli authorities remain uncertain about the true motives behind their carefully planned disappearance. A senior police official stated that Argentine authorities denied Israeli investigators the authority to conduct a thorough inquiry, limiting the questioning to a short session. Despite their cooperation, the police suspect the women did not disclose the full story.

The investigation began when the family, unable to reach the women, contacted the Israeli Foreign Ministry and local police in Modiin. The Israeli consulate in Vienna unusually released their photos to the public to aid in locating them. The case was assigned to the Central Unit Lahav 433, which quickly ruled out criminal activity or abduction. Evidence showed that the mother withdrew about 14,000 euros in cash before leaving Israel, and upon arriving in Prague, they bought new mobile phones, sent a brief video message to their family from Vienna, and then disabled their old phones to erase their trail.

The search evolved into an international operation involving Israeli police representatives in Prague, Vienna, Frankfurt, and Mexico, alongside Europol and local law enforcement agencies. The breakthrough came when investigators tracked the women boarding a flight from Frankfurt to Buenos Aires. Upon arrival, the local police detained the bus they were traveling on, allowing Israeli police to engage with them directly. Since the women are adults and not wanted for any criminal activity, and they confirmed their departure was voluntary, they were permitted to continue their journey.

The case remains open with unanswered questions about the reasons for their disappearance and their future plans.