Police recommend academy head, instructor be charged over flood disaster

Israel Police recommend that charges be filed against both the counselor and the former head of the Bnei Zion pre-military academy involved in last month’s desert hike, in which 10 teenagers were swept to their deaths by a flash flood.

Police recommend that the counselor, Aviv Bardichev, be indicted for manslaughter while former director Yuval Kahan — who resigned earlier this month — be charged with negligent homicide.

According to Hebrew media reports, Bardichev changed the route of the trip from the Tze’elim stream to the Tzafit stream despite being warned by a weather forecasting company not to travel in the area due to flooding. Bardichev had even received an email advising against traveling in the area.

Kahan was also said to have known about the route change but chose to trust Bardichev’s judgment.