More than 40 killed and hundreds hurt in stampede at Israeli religious festival
Tens of thousands of people, mostly ultra-Orthodox Jews, gathered to honour Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, a 2nd century sage and mystic
The video will auto-play soon8Cancel
Play now
Sign up to our newsletter for daily updates and breaking newsInvalid EmailSomething went wrong, please try again later.
Sign up here!
When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Your information will be used in accordance with ourPrivacy Notice.
Thank you for subscribingWe have more newslettersShow meSee ourprivacy notice
Dozens of people have been killed in a stampede at a Jewish religious gathering in northern Israel.
By Press Association 2021
Israeli security officials and rescuers carry a body of a victim who died during Lag BaOmer celebrations at Mt Meron in northern Israel
More than 40 people have been killed in a stampede at a Jewish religious gathering in northern Israel, local authorities said.
Motti Bukchin, spokesman for the Zaka ambulance service, told Channel 12 TV on Friday that 44 people were killed in the incident.
The disaster occurred at Mount Meron at the main celebrations of Lag BaOmer, a holiday when tens of thousands of people, mostly ultra-Orthodox Jews, gather to honour Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, a 2nd century sage and mystic who is buried there.
Religious festival stampede in Israel kills 44, hurts dozens
JOSEF FEDERMAN, Associated Press
FacebookTwitterEmail 24
1of24Israeli security officials and rescuers stand around the bodies of victims who died during a Lag Ba Omer celebrations at Mt. Meron in northern Israel, Friday, April 30, 2021. The director of an Israeli ambulance service has confirmed that nearly 40 people died in a stampede at a religious festival in northern Israel. (Ishay Jerusalemite/Behadrei Haredim via AP)Ishay Jerusalemite/APShow MoreShow Less
2of24Ultra Orthodox Jews look at the scene where fatalities were reported among the thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews during Lag BaOmer festival at Mt. Meron in northern Israel, Friday, April 30, 2021. A stampede at a religious festival attended by tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews in northern Israel killed dozens of people and injured more than 100 others early Friday, medical officials said, in one of the country s deadliest civilian disaster
A stampede at a Jewish religious gathering in northern Israel killed at least 44 people and injured some 150 others early Friday, medical officials said, in one of the country s deadliest civilian disasters.
About 100,000 people were crowded by Mount Meron before the stampede Thursday night to celebrate the holiday of Lag b’Omer, the New York Times estimated.
A Jewish holiday popular with ultra-Orthodox Jews, it honors Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, a second century sage and mystic who is buried at the base of the mountain. The tomb is considered a holy site in Israel.
Eli Beer, director of the Hatzalah rescue service, said he was horrified by how crowded the event was, saying the site was equipped to handle perhaps a quarter of the number who were there. “Close to 40 people died as a result of this tragedy,” he told the Army radio station.
Josef Federman
Ultra Orthodox Jews make their way out of Mt. Meron where fatalities were reported during Lag BaOmer festival at Mt. Meron in northern Israel, Friday, April 30, 2021. A stampede at the religious festival attended by tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews in northern Israel killed dozens of people and injured about 150 early Friday, medical officials said. It was one of the country s deadliest civilian disasters. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner) April 30, 2021 - 1:55 AM
JERUSALEM - A stampede at a religious festival attended by tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews in northern Israel killed at least 44 people and injured about 150 early Friday, medical officials said. It was one of the country s deadliest civilian disasters.