Body of S. Korean tourist found in Sea of Galilee after 2-day search
Police say man in his 30s on religious pilgrimage disappeared after jumping into lake during boat ride
After a two-day search, rescue services on Saturday found the body of a South Korean tourist who drowned in the Sea of Galilee after jumping in the lake during a boat ride.
The unnamed man, described by police as being in his 30s, was visiting Israel from South Korea on a religious pilgrimage.
According to police, the man’s body was discovered by divers some 800 meters from the Kibbutz Ginnosar beach on the lake’s western shore.
Police said volunteers and rescue services searched for the tourist using naval patrol boats, divers, a helicopter and a drone since he went missing on Thursday afternoon.
The Sea of Galilee is Israel’s largest freshwater lake, covering around 166 square kilometers (64 square miles).
Two people drowned in the lake in June. In April three young men disappeared in the Sea of Galilee in separate but concurrent incidents, launching a days-long search effort. Their bodies were eventually found.
Due to several years of drought, visitors have to walk some distance to get to the lake, which is initially shallow but drops quickly and deeply. The lake is also subject to windy conditions.