A community in Ashdod is mourning a second devastating loss after Vladimir Loguvinchenko died Saturday after drowning at an Ashdod beach. Loguvinchenko was the father of Vitaly Loguvinchenko, who was brutally murdered by Hamas terrorists during the Simchat Torah massacre near Kibbutz Ein HaShlosha.
According to reports, emergency dispatchers received an urgent call Saturday about a man who had been swept away and was drowning in the sea. Airborne and ground rescue and medical teams were quickly called to the scene, where lifeguards had already pulled the man from the water and begun initial treatment. Magen David Adom teams arriving at the scene fought for his life for many long minutes, performing extended advanced resuscitation efforts, but were ultimately unable to save him and were forced to pronounce his death at the scene.
MDA paramedic Oral Asulin and medic Simcha Hassid, who treated him at the scene, described the difficult moments, saying they found a man in his 60s unconscious, without a pulse and not breathing, after he was pulled from the water while lifeguards performed resuscitation. They said they continued providing medical treatment and performed prolonged resuscitation efforts, but were ultimately left with no choice but to pronounce his death.
The news of his passing left the family's acquaintances in shock, as they are still trying to come to terms with that terrible Simchat Torah morning in 2023. That day, Vladimir's son Vitaly, then 34, had gone on a routine fishing trip in Israel's south with his father-in-law, Oleg Lipschitz. As rocket fire began and terrorists stormed the area, the two tried to escape and reunite with the rest of the family, who were camping at the time in a national park in Ashkelon. On their way back, they came under intense fire from Hamas terrorists. The two abandoned their vehicle and hid among the bushes, managing to make one final phone call to a friend before they were located by the terrorists a short time later and murdered in cold blood.
For many agonizing days, the two were considered missing, adding to the family's unbearable tension. Oleg's body was located after a week, while Vitaly's body was found only after two grueling weeks of searching. Vitaly was laid to rest at the Ashdod cemetery beside his father-in-law, leaving behind a wife, a young son, parents, and a sister, all of whom have carried the wounds of that unimaginable tragedy ever since. Now, less than three years after his son's life was cut short, the bereaved family faces another devastating blow with Vladimir's passing. The funeral is set to take place today at the old cemetery in Ashdod, where grieving family members will accompany him on his final journey.
Behind Vitaly's memory lies a remarkable story of kindness and generosity. Vitaly, who was born in Ukraine and immigrated to Israel, was known as a warm and well-liked young man with a distinctive talent for cooking. While still in Ukraine, he had established a popular food stand that drew large crowds, and in Israel he worked in transport and quickly became beloved among all who knew him. He is survived by his wife, Lilia, and their young son, Yaroslav, to whom he was deeply devoted.
As the child of two deaf parents, Vitaly grew up immersed in a world of kindness, dedicating his time and energy to volunteering and supporting the deaf community, serving as a listening ear and source of guidance to all who sought him out. Fishing, his most beloved hobby and a source of peace and calm in his free time, was what led him to the beach near Ein HaShlosha that terrible morning, where he met his tragic death alongside his father-in-law, Oleg. Now, with the passing of his father Vladimir, who himself lived with hearing loss and carried the piercing pain of losing his son, a tragic and extraordinary circle closes between a father and son both taken under such difficult circumstances.
