Search efforts resumed Tuesday morning at Hadera River Beach for the man who was attacked by sharks the day before. The police, Fire and Rescue Services, Magen David Adom, a diving unit, and other forces are participating in the operation. Police have closed the beach until further notice.
The search is being conducted through three primary efforts: identification and recovery via marine vessels, patrols along the shoreline using ATVs, and ground teams combing the beach on foot.
Video: Shark attacks swimmer off the coast of Hadera ///Usage under Israel's Intellectual Property Law Article 27(a)
During the search, police found a bag and bicycle believed to belong to the missing man, which allowed them to identify him. He is a man in his 40s from central Israel, married and a father of children.
The investigation revealed that the man had seen media reports about sharks frequenting the Hadera coastline and decided to go there in hopes of swimming with them—an outing that ended in tragedy. It appears he got too close to the sharks, and they began to attack. Eyewitnesses said he tried to escape and fought them off, but was ultimately overwhelmed and disappeared.
One of his friends, who came to the beach, said: "I warned him not to go into the sea, and then I got the terrible news. His wife keeps calling me and I don't know what to tell her. We've known each other for more than 20 years, we work and spend time together. He was supposed to be at my son's wedding in two months. It's hard to take in."
