At least eight people were injured Thursday afternoon after an Israel Defense Forces paratrooper crashed into the audience during a skydiving display at Tel Aviv's Jerusalem Beach.
The paratrooper, an experienced reserve soldier, and one other person sustained serious wounds. Three people were moderately injured and three others suffered mild injuries. All were evacuated to the Edith Wolfson Medical Center in Holon and to the Sourasky Medical Center in Tel Aviv.
According to eyewitnesses, the paratrooper missed his landing spot and hit the spectators, apparently swaying from course due to the strong winds.
Moments before the crash (Photo: Israel Bardugo)
IDF officials have clarified that all the paratroopers who took part in the air show were experienced reservists who had skydived numerous times during their military service and had sufficiently trained for the Independence Day display.
Avi Simovitz, head of the Magen David Adom emergency services personal assigned to the scene, who witnessed the crash, told Ynet that the paratrooper tries to avert the audience, but to no avail.
"We were standing on the beach and saw how one of the skydivers was propelling down uncontrollably, in mass speed… he tried to turn the parachute towards the ocean, but then he crashed into the people standing near the security barriers, and then slammed into the ground."
Evacuating the injured (Photo: Rafi Barbiro)
"There were about 10 to 15 people in the air. It all looked fine, when suddenly one of them began shaken by the wind and landed too fast," an eyewitness said. "There were thousands of people on Tel Aviv's beaches and it was awfully crowded, and that is what must have caused injuries to a relatively high number of people. The incident took place about 45 minutes after the air show began."
Carolina Russo, 62, from Rishon Leziyon, recounts her injury during the Tel-Aviv flyby: "I saw a paratrooper descending towards us, and I guess at some point he landed in our area. I felt him hover over my head, closed my eyes, and suddenly found myself on the ground. I had lost consciousness."
Dr. Joanna Meirson, a surgical resident at Walfson hospital said: “We have two lightly injured people – a woman and a 10 year-old girl. They sustained head and neck injuries and are under observation… They’re stable and will soon be released.
Dr. David Safran, Head of Trauma at Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center said: “Two severely injured people are in critical condition in the ICU. One mildly injured man is being treated for spinal and pelvic injuries and five more lightly injured people are treated each according to their injury.”
Aerobatic and aerial rescue shows were held in the area by Israel Air Force helicopters and aircraft. Additional air shows were held across the country.
The rescue forces found it difficult to reach the injured as many people had rushed to the scene of the accident.
Avi Cohen, Yael Branovksy, Rafi Barbiro and Ivy Lerer contributed to this report
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