Bodies of 2 Israelis found in Georgian mountains
After a three-day search for a group of mountain climbers, including 2 Israelis, Georgian search and rescue teams locate bodies; The two Israelis immigrated to Israel in their 20s, survived by wives and children; colleague of one of the victims: 'This is such a heavy loss. He was a legend.'
Gorfinkel and Leviant left for their hike two weeks ago along with two other hikers, but contact with them was lost on Wednesday.
The search for the group began on Thursday. However, on Friday hazardous weather conditions precluded the possibility of conducting a helicopter search. On Saturday morning the helicopter managed to locate them but was unable to land for the same reason. They were forced to extricated the bodies after the rescue personnel descended by rope.
“The Foreign Ministry worked with the help of the local authorities to locate the group. Today (Saturday) the tragic news came that the bodies of the four who set out on the trek had been identified,” said Uri Ofir, a spokesman of Kibbutz Mishmar HaEmek.
The exact cause of death is not yet known. The four bodies were discovered by a Georgian search and rescue team.
Initial assessments indicate that they fell from the mountain which is known to be one of the hardest mountains to climb in the Kafkasi mountains given the number of extremely steep and snowy slopes.
Leviant, who immigrated to Israel at age 21, worked as an engineer in the high-tech industry in southern Haifa. His brother said that he enjoyed mountain climbing from a very young age.
He is survived by his parents, his wife and three children.
Gorfinkel is survived by his wife, Nika, and two daughters aged four years old and just three months. He was born in Ternopil in the Ukraine and moved to Israel at the age of 21 after serving in the Russian army. After studying Hebrew in Kibbutz Mishmar HaEmek, he also served in the IDF.
He received two degrees in physics and mathematics and taught both subjects, along with computers, at a high school. When asked about his hobbies in the past, he said during a video recorded at his kibbutz: “I don’t attack a mountain. That is stupid. I am so small compared to a big mountain, but when I face one I face myself. I face my weaknesses, my fears.”
The principal at the high school Gorfinkel worked at said that his death is a great loss to the school. “Boris was a legendary teacher. With his mix of professional knowledge, humor and grace, he advanced and enriched generations of students in a complicated and challenging field,” he said. “This is a heavy loss and I share this great sadness of the family of Mishmar HaEmek and of the high school. May his name be forever remembered and blessed.”
