Four die in single day in spate of drownings across Israel

Four people died Friday from drowning incidents across Israel, including an elderly man at the Dead Sea, and a 15-month-old baby girl.

Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem said Friday that the infant passed away two weeks after the initial incident at her home in Jerusalem.

According to a hospital statement, the baby died overnight Thursday-Friday, despite efforts by doctors to save her. Police have launched an investigation into possible negligence by the girl’s parents.

In Tel Aviv, a man in his 30s was pulled out of the water at the popular Hilton Beach, in critical condition. He was taken to the city’s Ichilov Hospital by paramedics who tried to resuscitate him en route, but was pronounced dead upon arrival.

Ronen Cohen, a Magen David Adom paramedic, told Channel 2: “When we got to the scene we saw a man of around 30 lying near the water’s edge, with civilians and lifeguards performing basic resuscitation on him. We immediately started with advanced resuscitation techniques, including administering medication, electrical shocks, massages and artificial breathing, but eventually they had to pronounce the man dead.”

Later in the day, Magen David Adom paramedics were called to a beach at the Dead Sea, where a 77-year-old man was removed from the water in an unconscious state.

An initial examination suggests the man died due to a previous medical condition. Paramedics attempted to resuscitate him, but after repeated attempts to save his life was pronounced dead at the scene.