A member of the rescue unit stated that following the tragedy at Nahal David, a "Mass Casualty Incident" (MCI) was declared, which is a highly unusual event.
According to his words, "The incident actually started long before, but due to poor reception in the valley, it took some time for someone to get out and report the incident."
Furthermore, he adds, "Currently, there are many rescue forces in the area: the Ein Gedi Rescue Unit, Arad, and Megilot units, the Lehava firefighting and rescue unit, Israel Air Force helicopters with Unit 669 and Magen David Adom (MDA).
The incident is still ongoing, with poor reception at the site, so the full extent is not yet clear. All routes around Ein Gedi are closed, indicating that the event doesn't conclude after the rescue. There is a support team providing care for the casualties who witnessed and experienced difficult scenes."
To our question about the cause of the rockslide incidents, the spokesperson of the rescue unit answered, "That's an excellent question that we're also asking ourselves. It's not something that can be anticipated. It could occur due to minor earthquakes in the area over the past years or the dislodging of rocks."
