7-year-old drowns after missing off Tel Aviv
A young boy drowned off the coast of Tel Aviv on Friday evening, as a visit to the beach turned into tragedy.
The 7-year-old boy apparently entered the water with his brother near Charles Clore Beach near Jaffa when their mother lost sight of them.
After a short search by rescuers, he was lifted out of the water in critical condition near Gordon Beach Marina, nearly two miles upstream from the Tel Aviv coastline.
He was rushed to Ichilov Hospital where he was pronounced dead, authorities said.
Magen David Adom rescuer Tomer Guzman said the boy was found lifeless by coastguard police.
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“When we got to the marina, the police took us to a boat with an unconscious child … who was not breathing and had no pulse,” Guzman said.
The name of the victim was not immediately disclosed.
The boy’s brother was found unharmed on Jerusalem Beach, more than 1.8 km north of Charles Clore Beach, according to reports.
Israelis at Charles Clore Park by the sea in Tel Aviv, July 14, 2020 (Tomer Neuberg / Flash90)
The cause of the drowning was not immediately clear. This happened at sunset, when lifeguards were normally not on duty.
Experts regularly warn of the dangers of rising tides, strong currents and sudden elevation changes on beaches along the Mediterranean and advise swimming only when lifeguards are watching.
An 8-year-old boy was pulled from the water off the beach near Sdot Yam, south of Haifa, on Thursday after he nearly drowned. He was hospitalized in serious condition.
