Amit Bandak, 15, Fights for Life After Bat Yam Plane Crash

A 15-year-old aviation enthusiast, Amit Bandak from Moshav Mishmeret, was critically injured on Friday (May 16) when a light aircraft crashed into the sea approximately 250 meters off the Tayo coast in Bat Yam, Israel.

Amit, a 9th-grade student at Dror High School in the Lev Hasharon Regional Council, was aboard an ultralight aircraft when it plummeted into the water around noon. He was rescued after approximately 40 minutes by Bat Yam municipal lifeguards, Unit 669 fighters, and Lahava unit firefighters but remains in critical condition at Wolfson Medical Center in Holon.

Amit’s family, who have not left his bedside in the intensive care unit, issued an emotional plea today (Sunday): “Please pray for the recovery of Amit, son of Michal and Ronen Bandak. Now is not the time for us to investigate how this happened. We are focused solely on Amit’s recovery and healing.”

Relatives described Amit as an exceptional teenager with a deep passion for aviation and photography. “He’s an amazing, curious, and friendly boy who loves flying. He knows every squadron and every airplane model,” they said, noting that he is part of a group of aviation “spotters” and was born on the eighth night of Hanukkah, a “child of miracles.”

The pilot of the aircraft, whose identity has not been disclosed, was also rescued and sustained light injuries. Bat Yam Mayor Tzvika Brot, who visited the crash site, reported that lifeguards witnessed the plane flying along the coastline before it suddenly plunged into the sea. “The lifeguards rushed to the plane and rescued the pilot. Amit was likely strapped in, and when the plane sank, he remained inside,” Brot said, adding that divers assisted in the prolonged effort to extract the teenager.

Eyewitness accounts and operational documentation from Magen David Adom (MDA) and Bat Yam Municipality captured the chaotic scene, with rescue teams working to bring Amit to shore.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation.