Rescue teams located the bodies of two teenage girls who were swept away in the Jordan River earlier tonight, after a five-hour search operation. Circumstances of the incident are still emerging.
Rescue teams in northern Israel concluded a five-hour search early Sunday morning for two teenage girls who were swept away in the Jordan River. Their bodies were found and their deaths confirmed, according to emergency services. The incident occurred late Saturday night near the Jordan River crossing; the girls were reported missing after they were carried away by the current. The names and ages of the victims have not yet been released. The circumstances leading to the incident remain under investigation.
The search began after reports of two missing girls on Saturday evening. By 20:12 Jerusalem, The Zioneer reported that a 13-year-old girl had been found dead near Lhavot HaBashan, with search operations ongoing for a second person. Within minutes, police confirmed a second 13-year-old girl was missing, and the search expanded. By the same published time, both victims had been identified: Hala Azam, 13, and Amman Kamal Khair, 15, both residents of Abu Snan in the Galilee. The Abu Snan council head described the event as 'a severe tragedy' for the community.
According to reports cited by The Zioneer, the girls were swept away by the current while in the Jordan River. The area where the incident occurred is a known crossing point that can experience sudden changes in water flow and depth. No further details on the circumstances leading to the drowning have been officially released.
It remains unclear what exactly led to the girls being swept away, whether they were swimming, wading, or otherwise in the water. The full timeline of events from their disappearance to recovery has not been detailed by authorities.
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