Immense tragedy : At least 44 dead, over 100 injured in stampede at religious gathering in Israel, medical officials say Elinor Aspegren, USA TODAY
Replay Video UP NEXT
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.
The death toll matched the number of people killed in a 2010 forest fire, which is believed to be the deadliest civilian tragedy in the country’s history.
The stampede happened after midnight and its cause was not immediately clear. Witnesses said a row of people had tripped on some stairs, causing other people to fall and sparking the stampede.
“Masses of people were pushed into the same corner and a vortex was created,” a witness, identified only by his first name Dvir, told Army radio. He described a terrifying sight as the first row of people fell down. He said he was in the next row of people that tripped.
Religious festival stampede in Israel kills 44, hurts dozens
Associated Press
Updated:
Tags:
Behadrei Haredim
Israeli 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)
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.
USA TODAY
In what is one of the country s deadliest civilian disasters, about 100,000 people were crowded by Mount Meron early Friday for the celebration of Lag BaOmer, a holiday that, among other things, commemorates Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, a second century sage and mystic who is buried at the base of the mountain.
Zaka, one of the country s ambulance service, confirmed the death toll had risen to 45. Around 150 people were injured with six in critical condition, said Zaki Heller, a spokesman for the Magen David Adom rescue service.
Zaka spokesman Motti Bukchin said families were being notified and the bodies were being taken to a single location for identification. He said he expected the bodies to be buried before sundown of the Jewish Sabbath, when funerals do not take place. Bodies were later taken to Israel’s central forensic pathology institute.
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 some 150 others early Friday, medical officials said, in one of the country s deadliest civilian disasters.
The stampede occurred during the celebrations of Lag BaOmer at Mount Meron. Tens of thousands of people, mostly ultra-Orthodox Jews, gather each year to honour Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, a 2nd century sage and mystic who is buried there. Large crowds traditionally light bonfires, pray and dance as part of the celebrations.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the stampede a “great tragedy” and said everyone was praying for the victims.