Issachar Dov Spiegel, 21, who drowned on Friday while swimming with his brother at Zanz Beach in Netanya, died overnight between Tuesday and Wednesday at Laniado Hospital. The ZAKA search and rescue organization said in a statement that searches for his brother, who remains missing, “are continuing at this time. The ZAKA organization shares in the family’s deep sorrow.”
Searches continue for the missing brother
Spiegel had arrived at the beach on Friday with his 18-year-old brother, Avraham Yeshayahu. He drowned, was pulled from the water and hospitalized in critical condition after resuscitation efforts, while his brother has been missing since the incident. Family members told Ynet earlier this week that “the boys came to unwind a bit at the beach on the eve of Shabbat, and what happened, happened.”
Relatives, who live far from the site of the incident and the hospital where Issachar Dov Spiegel was treated, stayed with local residents. “We must note the angels who helped host us over Shabbat in Netanya and took care of our lodging and food. We also thank ZAKA Netanya chairman Moshe Barber, who has been accompanying, helping and assisting us from the very first moment,” the family said.
They added: “We believe with complete faith that everything God does is for the best.”
Two days after the incident, ZAKA described a complex and ongoing operation at the scene. Since receiving the report on Friday, dozens of volunteers have been working alongside all emergency forces, using advanced means to locate the missing brother.
According to ZAKA special units commander Haim Ottomazgin, the scene is particularly challenging, requiring a combined effort of diving teams, technological tools, drones and specialized equipment to expand the search areas and scan complex zones in deeper waters.
ZAKA said overnight that “volunteers from the Sharon region — the Netanya team — are continuing extensive efforts at this time to locate the missing brother, conducting searches along the coastline and at sea, in the hope of finding him as soon as possible.”