Body of second missing Israeli tourist found in Peru
The body of 21-year-old man from Tel Aviv recovered from river after rafting accident, will be transferred to Cusco for final identification; Israeli consulate in Peru arranging to fly body home.
The Foreign Ministry confirmed Saturday that rescue teams in Peru have found the body of an Israeli tourist who went missing on Monday after his boat overturned while rafting in the Apurímac River.
The Israeli "Harel 669" rescue team located the young man's body while scanning the area via helicopter and then directed the rescuers to its exact location. Israeli officials in Peru are making arrangements for his body to be repatriated.
On Thursday, the body of a 21-year-old girl from Ramat Hasharon was found during aerial search operations. She was identified and her family informed. Israel's consul in Peru, Amir Cohen, had arrived earlier Thursday in nearby Cusco.
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One of the survivors of the accident told Ynet that eight Israelis had set out Sunday on the expedition.
"There were only two rafts and one kayak. Six tourists and a guide were in one boat, and the other boat carried the equipment, a guide, and two tourists. Another guide was in the kayak."
She said that one of the boats had struck a rock in the water, sending four people tumbling overboard.
"During the second day of the voyage, a short while before we reached camp, we came upon the rapids. The guide's kayak passed through, followed by the boats carrying the tourists. The second boat hit a giant rock in the river and turned around 90 degrees. Four tourists fell in the water and only two were rescued."
