Cable car crash sole survivor Eitan Biran 'glad to be home' in Italy

Six-year-old Eitan Biran has landed in Italy to live with his aunt after the High Court rejected his grandfather's appeal.

 Eitan Biran's aunt arrives at Tel Aviv court for custody hearing, September 23, 2021 (photo credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI)
Eitan Biran's aunt arrives at Tel Aviv court for custody hearing, September 23, 2021
(photo credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI)

The six-year-old sole survivor of a cable car crash, Eitan Biran, landed in Italy early Saturday morning.

Biran left Israel, taking off from Ben-Gurion Airport with his aunt Aya, uncle Or and two cousins on Friday evening.

The boy said he is "glad to be home," according to Channel 13.

The six-year-old will return to live with his Israeli-Italian aunt Aya, to who Italian authorities had previously assigned Eitan’s custody. He is set to resume medical and psychological therapy.

He is the sole survivor of a cable car accident in northern Italy that killed his parents, little brother and great-grandparents.

 AYA BIRAN, the paternal aunt of Eitan Biran speaks outside the Tel Aviv court yesterday. (credit: CORINNA KERN/REUTERS)
AYA BIRAN, the paternal aunt of Eitan Biran speaks outside the Tel Aviv court yesterday. (credit: CORINNA KERN/REUTERS)

Eitan returns to Italy 84 days after he was kidnapped by his maternal grandfather, Shmuel Peleg. An Italian judge issued an international arrest warrant for Peleg, following the kidnapping.

On Monday, Israel's High Court of Justice rejected a final appeal by Shmuel Peleg and ordered the six-year-old to be sent back to Italy.

The decision confirmed two lower court decisions despite the November 17 appeal of the grandfather.