Bauch Dayan HaEmet
Haredi Driver, 34, Killed in Crash with Bus Near Meron Junction
A 34-year-old man died after his vehicle collided with a bus on Route 89 near Meron. Rescue crews performed lengthy extraction operations in harsh weather conditions. The road is closed in both directions as police investigate.
A 34-year-old man was killed this afternoon when his car collided with a bus on Route 89 between Ein Zeitim Junction and Meron.
The accident occurred at approximately 12:26 p.m. in harsh weather conditions. Three firefighting crews from the Galilee-Golan station responded to the scene and performed complex extraction operations using hydraulic tools to free the driver, who was trapped in critical condition.
Despite resuscitation efforts by Magen David Adom paramedics and United Hatzalah emergency medical teams, the driver was pronounced dead at the scene due to severe multi-system trauma. He was unconscious, without pulse or breathing when extracted from the vehicle.
"We arrived at a complex accident scene between a bus and a private vehicle. Due to the force of the collision, the car flew into a ditch," said Fire Chief Roei Finish, the incident commander. "Firefighters performed professional and rapid extraction operations on a victim in critical condition."
The bus driver sustained minor injuries and was evacuated to Ziv Medical Center in stable condition.
Police investigators and traffic accident examiners are on scene investigating the circumstances of the crash. Route 89 remains closed in both directions, and the public is advised to use alternative routes.
Firefighting authorities emphasized the accident occurred in difficult weather conditions and called on drivers to reduce speed and adjust driving to road and visibility conditions.