Heartbreaking Loss
Tragic Discovery in Thailand: Body of Heroic Israeli Father Sagie Mor Recovered After Daring Rescue Attempt
Sagie Mor, devoted dad of four, heroically rescued his child from deadly Thai currents only to vanish beneath the waves, his body found after a massive volunteer effort.
In a heartbreaking conclusion to an urgent search operation, the body of 45-year-old Israeli Sagie Mor was located off the coast of Koh Phangan, Thailand, this morning, following his disappearance the previous afternoon while saving his son from treacherous ocean currents.
Mor, a father of four from the Golan Heights community of Kela Alon, had been vacationing with his family when the incident unfolded at Chaloklum Beach in the island's north.
The ordeal began on Wednesday afternoon when Mor spotted his son being pulled away by powerful undertows.
Witnesses described how he leaped into the stormy seas, successfully guiding the child close enough to shore for nearby restaurant staff to assist in pulling him to safety.
However, as Mor attempted to swim back, he was overwhelmed by massive waves; his family, including wife Inbal, heard him call out plans to reach nearby rocks before he vanished beneath the surf.
Thai authorities swiftly mobilized, deploying jet skis, police boats, and helicopters amid severe weather that grounded drones and halted overnight efforts due to hazardous conditions.
The search drew significant support from the local Israeli community, with around 160 volunteers conducting beach patrols and water scans under an improvised command center coordinated by Chabad representatives, the Israeli Embassy in Bangkok, and Thai police.
A team from Israel's Magen Search and Rescue also arrived, including Mor's relatives, to aid the operation.
Resuming at dawn today (Thursday), the combined efforts led to the recovery of Mor's body, shocking the island's Israeli visitors and volunteers who had joined the round-the-clock mission.
Inbal Mor expressed deep gratitude in a statement: "I want to thank from the bottom of my heart all the good people who mobilized to save Sagie," acknowledging the roles of hundreds of volunteers, the Magen team, Clal Insurance, the Chabad House, and the Foreign Ministry.
She added that the family is now uniting to process the devastating loss.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry confirmed ongoing coordination with Thai officials to support the family and handle arrangements.