Two 13-year-old girls found dead after being swept away by Jordan River

Group reportedly entered water in Galilee recreation area without adults present; intensive hours-long search included helicopter, elite rescue unit

Two 13-year-old girls were found dead Saturday night after they were swept away by the current in the Jordan River near the northern community of Lehavot HaBashan, in the Galilee Panhandle.

The girls’ bodies were found after hours of intense search and rescue efforts by police, Magen David Adom and the Fire and Rescue Services.

According to Hebrew media reports, the girls had come to bathe in the river with a third girl during a family trip, but came to the river without any adults present. The two were reported missing by their friend, who said they were swept away by the current.

After the first girl’s body was found in the evening, an MDA medic told reporters at the scene: “After extensive searches and scans, the fire service found a 13-year-old girl who was unconscious, without a pulse and not breathing. We performed medical tests, but unfortunately, we had no choice but to declare her dead.”

A statement from the Fire and Rescue Services at the time said the elite Lahava Unit for rescue missions was assisting in the search efforts for the second missing girl “due to the complexities of the incident.” Police said a helicopter had also assisted in the search for the missing girls.

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But the second girl was also found lifeless some hours later.

“We continued the searches even after nightfall and did everything possible until we located the second missing person, who was unfortunately pronounced dead,” an official said at the scene.

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