Heart-pounding drama
Dramatic Rescue in Jerusalem: Teen Saved from 36-Story Crane | WATCH
Jerusalem rescuers defy gravity to save a trapped teen from a 36-story crane, harnessed high above the city. As to why he climbed there, no one seems to know.
Emergency responders executed a complex high-rise rescue operation early this morning, saving a 15-year-old Haredi teenager trapped on a crane atop a 36-story building in Jerusalem. The incident occurred at the same structure where another teen tragically fell during last month's 'Million Rally' protest.
Fire and rescue teams deployed advanced rope systems to navigate the challenging access and angles of the crane. They successfully reached the teen, secured him with harnesses, and lowered him safely to the ground. The boy was unharmed and handed over to medical and police personnel for evaluation.
Deputy Jerusalem District Commander, Sub-Fire Chief Ayal Cohen, who oversaw the operation from the command post, highlighted the team's preparedness: "This morning demonstrated the high operational readiness of our special rescues unit. Just yesterday, we conducted a complex drill simulating a crane rescue, and today, the firefighters applied those skills in real time. Training and professionalism ensured a safe resolution."
MDA (Magen David Adom) reported receiving the alert at 07:08 and dispatched medics and paramedics to provide on-site medical support during the firefighters' efforts.
The rescue underscores ongoing safety concerns at high-rise construction sites in the city, with authorities now investigating how the teen accessed the crane.
With the dramatic rescue now complete, Fire and Rescue officials emphasized, “It does not appear to be a suicide attempt; the teenager called himself and requested assistance. It is still unclear how he reached the location.”
i24 News reported that he said, "I wanted to see the view."
i24's correspondent Lee Ayash added that the teenager climbed to the edge, slipped accidentally, grabbed a cable, and slid down to the counterweight, where he became trapped.
The situation was only discovered this morning, eight hours later, when a passerby noticed the teen and alerted police and fire rescue teams, who rushed to the scene to carry out the dramatic rescue operation.