An American tourist in his 20s was safely rescued from the east of Gush Etzion after losing his way in the Judean Desert, with no water and the last remaining battery percentage on his mobile phone.
According to the police, the young man left a festival held near Tekoa, but during his drive east toward the Judean Desert he veered off course and was unable to find the way back.
When he realized he was in a remote area and did not know how to return, he called the police 100 hotline and asked for help. During the call, he reported that he had no water, and after an initial assessment conducted by the commander of the rescue unit "Etzion-Yehuda," Ohad Margalit, contact was lost after his mobile phone shut off.
Following the report, volunteers from the "Etzion-Yehuda" rescue unit were dispatched, with assistance from the security departments of the Gush Etzion Regional Council and the settlement of Tekoa. Due to the intense heat and concern about flooding in the streams of the Judean Desert, extensive ground searches were carried out using drones and other technological means.
After a short time, the rescue teams located the young man in the area of Nahal Tekoa. He was evacuated using a 4X4 vehicle, assessed by the unit’s medical team, and was found to be in good condition.