Family Of 6 Rescued From Rocky Cliff After Attempting To Reach Meron From Tzfat

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Late on Tuesday night, a complex and dramatic rescue operation by volunteers from the “Galil-Carmel” rescue unit of the Israel Police came to an end. Six family members, a grandmother and her five grandchildren, aged 10 to 15 from Tzfat, who had attempted to reach the Lag BaOmer celebrations in Meron on foot, lost their way and found themselves trapped on a dangerous cliff.

The incident began in the early evening, when the grandmother called the police emergency center. She reported that the family was lost in the field, stuck on a cliff with no ability to continue walking. Despite a strict ban on accessing Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai’s tomb, the family tried to make their way from Tzfat to Meron through rough terrain. Rain in the area made the slopes especially slippery and dangerous, leaving the group stranded on the western slope of the Nahal Amud stream.

Upon receiving the call, a command post was set up at the Kfar Shamai parking area. The unit’s search teams raced against time, with one team scanning the terrain and using sirens until they established voice contact with the trapped family. The operation was carried out in close cooperation with inspectors from the Nature and Parks Authority and volunteers from United Hatzalah. A drone operated by United Hatzalah located the group on the cliff and illuminated their position for rescuers. In the first stage, a flashlight and thermal blankets were dropped from the air to prevent hypothermia among the children.

Due to the difficult terrain and slippery rocks, the unit’s rope rescue team (climbing, rappelling, and rescue) was deployed. The rescuers built a complex rope system, through which the family members were safely extracted one by one out of the streambed. After a medical check by the unit’s paramedic, the family was evacuated home safe and sound.

It is worth noting that this was the second consecutive day of operations for the “Galil-Carmel” rescue unit in the Meron area, after they had also been engaged the previous day in rescuing hikers and worshippers in the region.

The rescue unit stated: “We reiterate that access to the Meron area is strictly prohibited. The combination of challenging terrain and unpredictable weather can end in disaster. Our volunteers worked long hours in the rain, using specialized rope systems to bring the grandmother and her grandchildren home safely.”