American hiker falls to death in Eilat Mountains
Body of 20-year-old recovered by IDF; family notified
The body of an American tourist was recovered Sunday after he apparently fell to his death near a popular hiking trail in the Eilat Mountains in southern Israel.
Police began searching for the hiker Saturday night, when the 20-year-old man failed to return from his hike to Mount Shlomo.
His body was airlifted from the ravine by the IDF’s 669 search and rescue unit after a several-hour operation, Hebrew media reported.
Police opened an investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death, although no foul play is suspected. The initial indication is that the man slipped and fell down a steep rock face while hiking the trail.
Police said that the man’s family was informed of the tragedy, but did not identify him to the media.
טרגדיה בנגב: גופתו של תייר אמריקני כבן 20 אותרה בהרי אילת • @bokeralmog עם כל הפרטים >> https://t.co/Cm9zSrSNVp pic.twitter.com/WLleVEOQcE
— חדשות 13 (@newsisrael13) March 10, 2019
As part of the investigation, the body will be sent to the Abu Kabir Forensic Medicine Institute for positive identification and further examination of the circumstances of the death.
Currently, about 1.4 million Israelis visit Eilat annually and some 300,000 foreign tourists visit the area, mainly from Europe.
Mount Shlomo is located about 11 kilometers northwest of the city. The Negev Trails tourist website describes the challenging hike as “one of the most difficult yet rewarding trails in Israel.”
