Dor Cohen
Missing Israeli backpacker in Georgia found dead
Dor Cohen, a 23-year-old from Jerusalem, went on a trek with a childhood friend, during which they separated for a few hours; he never arrived at the rendezvous point.
Dor Cohen, a 23-year-old backpacker from Jerusalem, who has been missing since last week, was found dead in Georgia on Sunday.
Cohen went missing while on a trek in the Caucasus Mountains in northern Georgia.
Cohen, an artillery lieutenant who completed his army service several months ago, left Israel last Sunday on the trip, together with a childhood friend. On Tuesday, they went on a trek to a town at the foot of Mount Shkhara, the highest point in the country.
Dor Cohen
Yehuda Cohen, Dor's father, said that on Wednesday at noon, Dor and his friend arrived at a dense area and decided to split up. "They were supposed to meet up after ten kilometers at a prearranged spot, but at the appointed time, Dor did not arrive," he said.
The friend waited for about two or three hours, and eventually continued by foot another ten kilometers to a village. He slept out in the open on his way. On Thursday morning, he arrived at the village and immediately phoned the Israeli consul in Tbilisi. A local police force was rapidly sent to the area.
"There are guest areas all along the trek," Dor's father said. "It's not considered a dangerous trek and we don't understand what happened. The trek is supposed to take five days. Even if Dor had gone alnoe, he would have arrived in Ushguli today. Dor is an outdoorsman; he has gone on lots of trips.
