Israeli father killed in Slovenia while rescuing seven-year-old son from ravine fall

On Saturday, an Israeli father named Gail Hillel, aged 44, perished in Slovenia while attempting to save his seven-year-old son who had fallen into a ravine during a family outing. The incident took place near the Slap Savica waterfall, a well-known natural attraction in the Bohinj region of northwestern Slovenia. The Kranj District Police reported that the family had taken a break at a rest area with picnic tables and benches after their visit to the waterfall.

Moments later, they heard cries for help coming from the vicinity.Hillel's quick response led him into the ravine while searching for his son. Sadly, he fell into the ravine as well, sustaining fatal injuries. When rescue teams arrived, they discovered both Hillel and his son in the Savica River channel. The father had received severe injuries and was pronounced dead on the spot, while his son had also suffered serious injuries.

The child was given immediate medical attention at the scene and was later airlifted to the University Medical Center in Ljubljana via helicopter. The rescue teams had initially believed that only the child had fallen into the ravine, but upon their arrival, they found that Hillel had also fallen into the ravine. Several members of the rescue unit were conducting a training exercise in the area at the time of the accident, which aided them in reaching the scene swiftly.

They descended nearly 60 meters into the river channel below, rescuing both Hillel and his son before transporting them for further care.Hillel's family expressed their condolences to the rescue teams, hoping that the child would recover swiftly and cope with the tragedy in due time. The Slovenian police are actively investigating the incident and will submit a report to the relevant district prosecutor's office once their findings are finalized.