The body of Nir Dekel, who was killed when a crane collapsed due to high winds in the southern of the city of Ashkelon last month, has been located after 41 days.
Nir Dekel, a father of three, was killed when a crane collapsed at a power plant during a storm on March 13, trapping him beneath it. His body was found beneath wreckage from the collapse at the bottom of the sea. Efforts are currently underway to retrieve Dekel's body from under the water and wreckage.
The search and rescue efforts began immediately after the collapse, when Dekel and another man were reported missing. The body of the other missing man, Naftali Edri, was found several days after the storm when it washed up on shore. Another man was lightly injured in the collapse.
Ashkelon station commander Meir Hachmon said: "From the first day of the search, we clearly stated that together with the electric company and all the search and rescue organizations, we would do everything in our power and we would not stop until we found the last traces of those who went missing during this difficult and terrible disaster. After several weeks of intensive searches, and with the extraordinary dedication of the civil bodies as well, we were able to locate a human body trapped in the rubble, and we are making every effort to rescue it as soon as possible so that we can finish the final work of identification."
The Electric Company stated: "The intense efforts of the Electric Company to locate Nir Dekel, the company's employee who has been missing since the collapse of the crane at the Rutenberg power station in Ashkelon, on March 13, took place in March when the weather and sea conditions made it possible. This afternoon, the body of Nir Dekel was apparently located under to the ruins of the crane that collapsed into the water. The operations involved in his rescue are extremely complex. The Electric Company, together with all its employees, mourns the death of Nir Dekel and mourns together with his family."