Urgent search continues for shark attack victim off Hadera coast

The search continued Tuesday for a diver who was attacked by a shark on Monday near the mouth of the Hadera River. Navy boats, maritime police, and the Fire and Rescue Service, along with specialized divers, are working intensively to locate the missing man.

The victim, a man in his forties from Petah Tikva, is married and the father of four. He had finished a workday in northern Israel and decided to stop and fish on his way home. His identity was confirmed after authorities found his belongings on the shore and located the truck he had arrived in.

In chilling video footage from the scene, a witness can be heard shouting, “There is someone here with a shark, screaming for help, try to save him.” Another eyewitness told Channel 12, “I saw the diver in deep water. He shouted ‘They bit me, they bit me,’ and waved his arms in the air. After a few minutes, sharks bit him and he disappeared.”

Beaches in the area - including Hadera, Mikhmoret, Beit Yanai, and Neurim - remain closed for swimming until further notice as the search and investigation continue.