A 15-year-old yeshiva student from central Israel died Friday afternoon after he collapsed due to dehydration during a trip to Amud River in the north.
The boy was apparently hiking with his peers, and after a walk that lasted a few hours along the river, he started feeling ill. He leaned against a tree to rest, but lost his balance and fell and hit his head.
One of his friends called local rescue squads to the scene. When they arrived they found the youth in critical condition and attempts to resuscitate him failed. He was air-lifted to the Ziv Hospital in Safed, but there he was pronounced dead.
Amir Levi, chief of operations for the Galilee Carmel region's rescue squad, warned travelers to consider the extremely hot weather conditions when planning their trips.
"This is a time during which yeshiva students tend to travel a lot, and they unfortunately don't emphasize safety rules," Levi said.
During the day Friday rescue squads were alerted multiple times to aid hikers that had dehydrated during trips to the north.
The yeshiva student that died Friday was the second victim of the heat wave plaguing Israel over the last few days.
On Thursday an eight-month-old infant died after her father left her in a car. In the evening, a 20-year-old yeshiva student from Netanya died of dehydration during a hike along the Zeelim River when he and his friends ran out of water.