Special Report: Body Found Near Hilton Beach Marina

(Tel Aviv) The body of an Eritrean boy was found in the Marina next to Hilton beach in Tel Aviv late this afternoon. The boy, "Abraham," has been swept away from waves and wind while swimming near rocks at the beach with his brother earlier in the day.

The drama unfolded around 12pm when the two boys went out to swim in the rough Mediterranean waters. The elder brother was heard screaming near the rocks on the north end of Hilton Beach. Local surfers, a jet skier, as well as a lifeguards in canoes made their way out to pull him to shore.

It would be nearly 30 minutes before maritime police approached the scene to begin looking for the drowning boy. A search and rescue helicopter joined the search sometime after 1-pm. Their search focused around the rocks near where the boy was taken by the current.

During the search, the brother, who is 24 years old, was brought to the steps of a local beach bar where he sat in the sand, mourning and crying over his lost brother. His tears drenched his face and he beat the sand with his fists, devastated over his lost brother.

He cried, "My brother was looking so forward to this day! He couldn't wait to come out to the beach and go into the sea! My brother was waiting for this day!"As time went on, his demeanor slumped lower into the sand and he wept harder.

Two Tel Aviv police officers stood by and watched without offering to help. Medics were not to be found and an ambulance did not arrive.

Locals and tourists who were enjoying the beach stepped in to comfort the young man, offering him water, a cool towel and words of encouragement. Several residents approached the police officers asking them to assist him and get him to a hospital, for which they refused. One official watched the young man, seemingly amused and denied a woman who appealed for his assistance, saying there was nothing he could do about the situation. 

After nearly 3 hours, another woman was ab

le to get in touch with social services who said they would come to help. 

Two more police officials came on the scene and threatened to arrest the Eritrean man if he did not come with them willingly. A woman, with her arms around the man, told the officials to wait until the social worker arrived.

Israeli locals and tourists were appalled at the comments made by police, sharing comments like, "This is shameful," and, "Why won't they do something?" or, "I can't believe they're just standing around!"

The search for the missing brother was called off just after 3pm, and the police took the Eritrean man to a local police station. The social worker never arrived.

Sailors in the marina found the drowned boy’s body, approximately 100 meters south of where the boy was initially swimming around 5-pm. It is unknown at this time what has happened to the mourning brother.