Soldiers from the IDF elite marine commando unit, Shayetet 13, rescued a group of five civilians whose fishing boat sank at sea early on Monday. The civilians were safely rescued and no injuries were reported, according to the IDF Website.
The incident occurred opposite Neveh Yam, about 20 km south of Haifa.
Shayetet 13 soldiers arrived on the scene when Israeli police informed the Navy of a boat in distress. The soldiers found a sinking fishing boat and a damaged motorboat, with five civilians on board.
The Mark 1 inflatable motorboat had left shore with three civilians on board, all in their 20s. The boat's motor was damaged at sea as a result of strong winds and it drifted westward.
Two fishermen who were in the area in their boat attempted to rescue them. The three men from the motorboat climbed onto the fishing boat, but the fishing boat began to sink. All five then returned to the damaged motorboat and waited for assistance.
The IDF commando marine forces arrived quickly on the scene, along with a Dabur patrol boat, and safely evacuated the civilians to shore.