Germany: Israeli killed in river accident

Gili Zamir fatally hurt after craft capsizes in German river; dies four days later in hospital. Second Israeli death in sport accident overseas in two weeks

Assaf Uni|Last update: 08.14.10 , 23:33

BERLIN - Gili Zamir (25), injured in a river accident in Germany, died in a Hamburg hospital Friday after fighting for his life for four days. Zamir, a guide for a group of Israeli and German students, capsized in the canoe he was paddling with one other, and fatally injured. His family has been notified.

The accident occurred on Monday afternoon. According to reports in the German press, the group began a trip with 14 canoes on the Vils River, one of the tributaries of the Lech in southeast Germany. For reasons that are still unclear, Zamir's craft continued beyond the point at which the group was to get out. He went over a small waterfall and capsized.

Police by the canoe used by Zamir (Photo: bk-media)

It appears that Zamir, from Rishon Lezion, got caught by a current and drowned. He was pulled from the water by an employee of the company organizing the trip and a medical team carried out CPR. The girl who was in the same canoe was unhurt.

Press reports said the members of the group wore buoyancy aids as required and heard a safety brief before setting off. Local police have begun investigations into the company operating the trip.

Also Saturday, an 18-year-old Israeli drowned to death while surfing in Sri Lanka's Arugam Bay.

A Chabad member from Colombo said the young man "was surfing with his friends when, from what I hear, the string that attached his foot to the surfboard got tangled up and was stuck in something. He wasn't breathing when they pulled him out of the water."

This is the third Israeli killed within the last fortnight in accidents overseas. Doron Lugassi (39) was killed on Saturday two weeks ago during a paragliding competition. According to reports, he was seriously injured when a gust of wind threw him to the ground and died later in hospital.

Gil Naveh also contributed to this report.