Israeli Mother and Daughter Missing in Austria as Investigation Expands

A week has passed since the last contact with Mally and Liel Yahalomi, who disappeared in Austria, and the investigation is becoming increasingly complex. Israeli police have no leads yet and are exploring all possibilities, including accidents, criminal suspicions, and voluntary disappearance. Austrian authorities now believe the two are no longer in the country, complicating the search efforts. The case is being led by the National Unit for Combating Economic Crime (Lahav 433), which has collected testimonies from the women’s acquaintances and visited Mally’s workplace at Bank of Jerusalem to gather information. Despite rumors, investigators have found no indication of criminal activity involving the pair.

The police imposed a gag order on the investigation, which began after Mally, 50, and her daughter Liel, 23, went missing last Friday following their trip from Prague to Vienna. They were expected to return to Israel last Tuesday but never boarded their flight. Family members have provided statements and criticized police briefings that suggested premature conclusions about the case. The disappearance caused a sharp drop in Bank of Jerusalem’s stock due to unfounded suspicions of financial misconduct, which the bank denied after an internal review found no irregularities.

Israeli Police Commissioner Danni Levi convened a special meeting and transferred the case to Lahav 433. A special command post has been set up in Austria to assist in the search, with phone tracking showing the last known location near a Vienna bus station. The Israeli embassy in Austria has appealed to the public for help locating the two women. The Yahalomi family hired "Magen Search and Rescue" to support the search efforts and launched a crowdfunding campaign to finance local professional assistance, travel, translation, and emergency expenses. The family emphasized the urgency of the situation, noting that Mally and Liel are experienced travelers who usually maintain regular contact with relatives, making their sudden disappearance highly unusual.

The embassy urges anyone who encounters Mally or Liel to contact the family immediately or call the embassy’s emergency number. The investigation continues with no confirmed leads, and authorities are expanding the search area beyond Austria.