Noam Yechiel, 17, killed in car crash amid rocket fire, described as ‘delightful boy’
Yechiel was on his way back to Hadera with friends when the accident happened; police investigating whether the siren caused the driver to panic and crash
The 17-year-old boy who was killed in a car accident in the north during a Hezbollah rocket barrage early Sunday morning was named as Noam Yechiel, of Ahiezer in central Israel.
Police said they were still investigating whether the accident on Route 77 was a result of the car’s driver panicking as sirens wailed to warn of incoming rocket fire.
Yechiel was in the back seat at the time of the accident. According to the Ynet news site, he was on his way back to his Hadera yeshiva with friends, following a Shabbat celebrating the nuptials of a classmate as well as a visit to the grave of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai on Mount Meron.
He is survived by his parents, Erez and Anava, and his brothers.
Noam’s father, singer Erez Yechiel, told Ynet that his son “was a good boy,” focused on family and his yeshiva studies. “Even when it was difficult for him, he made an effort.”
Residents of Ahi’ezer described Yechiel as “a delightful boy” and said the whole community was in shock, according to the Behadrei Haredim website.
Four others in the car were lightly to moderately injured, according to police, including the driver.
נועם יחיאל ז"ל, תלמיד הישיבה בנו של הזמר החרדי ארז יחיאל שנהרג הבוקר בתאונה שהתרחשה לאור האזעקות בצפון pic.twitter.com/IvGz58Kx1D
— ישראל כהן (@Israelcohen911) September 22, 2024
In the event of a siren when driving, the Home Front Command says drivers should stop on the side of the road, exit their vehicle and enter the nearest building.
If there is no building nearby, they should exit the vehicle, lie on the ground and protect their head with their hands. If this also is not possible, they should stop the car, duck, and wait for 10 minutes.
Throughout Saturday night and Sunday morning, some 150 rockets, cruise missiles, and drones were launched at Israel. The rocket attacks came from Hezbollah in Lebanon, while the drones and cruise missiles were launched from Iraq.
The rocket launches by Hezbollah targeted Haifa and the Jezreel Valley, the terror group’s deepest rocket fire into Israel since the beginning of the war in October.
Three people were injured by the rockets. The victims were a man in his 70s who was in moderate condition, and another man in his 70s and a 16-year-old girl who were lightly hurt. All three were taken to Haifa’s Rambam Medical Center for treatment.
In a statement, Hezbollah took responsibility for the barrages.
The Iran-backed terror group said the rockets were in response to the pager and walkie-talkie blasts in Lebanon last week, which killed more than 30 members of the terror group and wounded thousands. The attack was attributed to Israel, which has not commented.
Emanuel Fabian and agencies contributed to this report.
