After ten days of intensive searches, 18-year-old Avraham Yeshayahu Spiegel was found dead in the water near Sidna Ali Beach in Herzliya. He had been missing since Friday, April 11, when he was washed off the Sanz Beach in Netanya.
Following the initial report, large teams from ZAKA’s diving unit, the Netanya branch, and the Missing Persons Unit launched a wide-scale operation. A command post was set up on the beach, and in coordination with Israel Police, the Fire and Rescue Servic's Legava special rescue unit, and municipal beach authorities, extensive searches were carried out along the shoreline and at sea.
ZAKA CEO Tzvi Hassid said that teams worked around the clock using advanced equipment in an effort to locate the missing teenager. “Unfortunately, the searches ended with a painful outcome," he said.
Roy Liberman, commander of ZAKA’s diving unit, described how teams conducted thorough searches both in the water and along the coast with the help of specialized equipment and vessels. “Sadly, the missing person was found lifeless," he said.
Shai Romano, head of the ZAKA Netanya team in the Sharon region, noted that volunteers had remained on site throughout Friday, working continuously alongside other units, including maritime police and aerial support, to find the missing youth.
The tragedy has deeply affected the Spiegel family. Avraham Yeshayahu was the brother of Yissachar Dov Spiegel, who also died after being pulled from the water in critical condition days earlier. The family is now mourning the loss of both sons in a devastating double tragedy.