Man killed, 9 others injured after boat capsizes off coast of Eilat

A man in his 40s was killed in a boating accident off the coast of Eilat Wednesday evening, after the ship took a sharp turn and capsized, flinging its 12 passengers into the sea.

Marine police recovered the man’s body from the sea near Neviot Beach, where paramedics pronounced him dead.

First responders said they treated nine others wounded in the incident, among them two in moderate condition and seven who were lightly injured. They were taken to Yoseftal Medical Center in the southern port city.

According to the Magen David Adom emergency service, the boat flipped over after taking a sharp turn at high speed. Passengers were rescued from the water by those on nearby boats.

“I was with my wife and kids next to the scene of the incident. The boats that were on the scene brought out a man about 40 years old, but his injuries were serious and we had no choice but to declare him dead,” said MDA paramedic Eli Vaknin.

An eyewitness speaking to Channel 12 news said that all passengers who were on the overturned boat fell into the water, adding that none were equipped with life jackets.

“Some fell into the sea, and some went under the boat’s engine. I saw several people being taken in an ambulance with legs covered in blood,” the eyewitness said.

The two victims in moderate condition were both men in their 40s. One sustained injuries to his chest and abdomen, and the other suffered an injury to his leg.

After recovering the dead man’s body, Eilat marine police continued to search the waters for additional people. They concluded their search at around 8 p.m., ruling out the possibility that there were passengers who were unaccounted for.

Police have opened an investigation into the incident to determine its circumstances, namely whether the accident was caused by human error, a technical malfunction or negligence, Channel 12 reported.