Rockslide near Dead Sea in Israel kills young boy, injures others: officials

Falling boulders “the size of cars” killed a little boy and injured at least eight others during a rockslide near the Dead Sea in Israel Thursday, according to emergency services and a witness.

Local authorities with the help of Israeli military helicopters rushed to rescue numerous people who were trapped under the heavy rubble on a popular hiking trail at the Ein Gedi Nature Reserve. Some victims were airlifted to nearby hospitals.

The young boy who was hiking with his family was found unconscious and could be not revived, Israel’s Magen David Adom rescue service said.

The age range for victims is between 4 and 40, officials said.

“You could see rocks the size of cars falling down,” Yonatan Bar David, who was at the site with his family, told Kan Radio.

Two other children were hospitalized with minor injuries.

He also said the moment happened in a “split second.”

“Everything happened in one hit without warning,” he told media, according to the Jerusalem Post. “The rocks hit the ground, creating a dust cloud. At first, you couldn’t see anything.”

“This is a difficult day and a terrible disaster,” Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman said, according to the outlet.

“I send condolences to the family members of the child who was killed while on a trip with his family and send wishes for recovery to the injured.”

The situation was more complicated because the area where the landslide happened was tough to reach.

It was not immediately known what was caused the rockslide that usually happens when torrential rains or earthquakes strike the area.

With Post wires