A 26-year-old Israeli man from the Jerusalem area drowned in Norway after falling from a vessel while traveling with friends, ZAKA said on Thursday.
According to ZAKA’s International Division, its hotline received a report that the man had fallen from the vessel during the trip and had been missing for several hours. He was later found dead.
Israel’s Embassy in Oslo and the Foreign Ministry’s department for Israelis in distress abroad have been handling the case with local authorities since receiving the report, the Foreign Ministry said.
The ministry said officials are in contact with the man’s family and are accompanying them during the difficult period.
Baruch Nidam, head of ZAKA’s International Division, said that once the organization received the report, its international team began working with local authorities to ensure the deceased was treated with dignity and to secure the release of his body for repatriation to Israel.
“Immediately upon receiving the report at the ZAKA hotline, the ZAKA International Division team began handling matters concerning the dignity of the deceased and working with local authorities with the aim of securing the release of the deceased ahead of his transfer to Israel for burial and the funeral,” Nidam said.
ZAKA’s International Division said it was working together with Menuha La’ad, the Foreign Ministry, and other relevant authorities to bring the man’s body to Israel for burial as soon as possible.