14-year-old dead after lightning strike hits family of 5 on Israeli coast

Asher Zahut was pronounced dead on Wednesday afternoon after being struck by a lightning bolt.

By World Israel News Staff

Fourteen year old Asher Zahut was pronounced dead after being struck by a lightning bolt on Israel’s coast while enjoying the holiday with his family on Tuesday.

“We regretfully announce that the boy who was fatally injured by the lightning strike in Zikim passed away minutes ago. We share in the grief of the family,” a spokesman at Barzilai Medical Center said.

A medical team at the hospital had been fighting to save him, Israel’s Channel 13 reported earlier.

Also hit were three of his brothers: Elazar, 24, Efrat, 22, and Elhanan, 17. Asher’s sister-in-law was also badly injured but her status is described as stable. The others are described as being in light to moderate condition.

“I was at the beach with my brothers and we were swimming. At one point we went outside and sat on the beach,” Elhanan said.

“Then the lightning started. My sister-in-law was already packing up. And we were just about to pack up and I didn’t see what happened. And when I woke up I saw my yarmulke was burned.”

Elazar, the eldest brother, said, “Myself, my wife and three brothers were on a deserted beach near Zikim. We were hit by lightning and we all fell to the ground. After several minutes, the medical teams arrived and started to treat us and evacuate us to the hospital. I ask that everyone pray for the injured.”

Seconds after the lightning strike, cameras captured young people running to call for medical help for the injured family.

Guy Shlapkov, an eyewitness who was at the scene and assisted the victims, told Channel 13 that the family suffered a direct hit: “It was really loud. There was a boom. I don’t want to think what would happen if we weren’t there. I realized I had to call for help. There was a girl there who said, ‘I can’t move my feet.'”