3 Israelis rescued from freezing Japanese mountain where they were stranded
Snowboarders got stuck after venturing off marked trails at Hakuba ski resort; Israeli envoy thanks Japanese for efforts, says trio undergoing medical checks
Three Israeli men in their 20s were rescued from a mountainous ski resort in Japan where they had been stranded in subzero temperatures for around 24 hours, the Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday morning.
The men had been reported to be “freezing cold” and with cellphone batteries close to empty on a mountain near Hakuba in central Japan.
Hebrew news sites reported that the three, former “elite” soldiers, had deviated from the marked ski trail before realizing there was no way to get back.
According to the reports, a local search and rescue team, along with Israeli rescue firm Magnus International, located the Israelis and reported that they were “in contact” before rescuers reached them around 4 a.m. local time.
The reports said that difficult weather conditions prevented the use of a rescue helicopter, and that the rescue teams had to reach the snowboarders on foot.
The Foreign Ministry said Ambassador Gilad Cohen worked with senior local government and police officials to get the needed help.
Three Israelis who were stranded near Mount Hakuba in Japan ???????? were safely rescued.
The Embassy of Israel in Japan would like to extend its sincere gratitude to the Nagano Prefectural Police ( @police_nagano ) and the rescue teams who worked closely together to make this rescue… https://t.co/fGiaohmxGK
— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) January 7, 2025
Israeli Consul Avinoam Mizrahi arrived at the scene amid the rescue, and was filmed with the now-safe snowboarders.
After the rescue, Ambassador Cohen said that the three Israelis were “currently undergoing medical examinations,” and thanked the Japanese government for their efforts in rescuing the stranded snowboarders.
