IDF search team finds pilot’s remains 56 years after his death

“This effort is part of the IDF’s moral obligation to locate all missing and prisoners and all fallen IDF soldiers whose burial places are unknown,” the army said.

By Ilanit Chernick, TPS

After a decades-long search, the head of the IDF manpower directorate, Maj.-Gen. Moti Almoz, announced the discovery of the remains of Israel Air Force pilot Lt. Yakir Mordechai Naveh (Leifer).

“On Thursday, October 25, as part of an operation to locate him, his remains were discovered among the fragments of the plane on the Sea of ​​Galilee and they were transferred to the Institute of Forensic Medicine,” Almoz said in a statement.

“The remains of Yakir were found during an operation to locate them at the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee), under the leadership of the Air Force and in cooperation with the Personnel Division, a branch for tracing missing persons and other units,” the statement continued.

In 1962, as part of a training flight, Naveh, an instructor at the flight school, together with the late Sgt. Oded Koton, flew over the Sea of the ​​Galilee but crashed. Koton’s body was found about a year after the accident.

In 2009, the plane was spotted in the Kinneret, prompting further searches for Naveh’s remains. On October 16, a 12th search operation began.

“The Israeli Air Force carried out the searches using advanced marine tools and technologies from a company chosen by the Defense Ministry, the IDF stated. “Over the years, the Air Force has been in continuous contact with the bereaved family and updated it throughout the operation.”

Details of Naveh’s funeral will be provided at a later date.

“This effort is part of the IDF’s moral obligation to locate all missing and prisoners and all fallen IDF soldiers whose burial places are unknown,” the army said.

Naveh was born in 1939 in Ramat Gan and enlisted in the Israel Air Force in 1957. He began his service as an aircraft mechanic and advanced to the position of combat pilot and training instructor.