Israeli father found dead after family goes missing while hiking

The father seemingly suffered from dehydration after separating from the rest of the family during the hike.

 Nahal Yetev. (photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)
Nahal Yetev.
(photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)

A father was found dead on the Yetev River trail in Jordan Valley on Wednesday morning after he and his family went missing on Tuesday, according to an Israel Police spokesperson.

The family, which consisted of the father, a grandfather, and two kids were hiking when they got lost on Tuesday. After a while, the grandfather began to feel unwell, and his son and grandchildren went on to find help.

Sometime later, the father also began to feel unwell, and his two children (aged 12 and 13) continued alone to find help.

Father found hours later without signs of life

After hours of work by rescue teams, the rest of the family was found alive, and authorities believe that the father had suffered from dehydration.

First responders were forced to declare him dead after they found him in the middle of the night.

 Hatzolah Air Medivac Helicopter simulation with Magen David Adom ambulance in Israel. (credit: Courtesy of Magen David Adom)
Hatzolah Air Medivac Helicopter simulation with Magen David Adom ambulance in Israel. (credit: Courtesy of Magen David Adom)

Following the incident, the police reminded the public of safety rules for hiking in the desert. These rules include having five liters of water per person per day, matching the trail to the abilities of the hikers, and leaving a message with the time the hikers are expected to finish the hike.