In a tragic and highly unusual incident, a swimmer was killed by a shark off the coast of Hadera in northern Israel, marking one of the country’s few recorded shark attacks.
Authorities confirmed on Tuesday that human remains recovered by search and rescue teams belonged to a 40-year-old man from central Israel who had gone missing a day earlier. The remains were transferred to the Institute of Forensic Medicine for official identification.
The fatal attack occurred near Olga Beach, roughly 40 kilometers north of Tel Aviv. The area is known for its warm waters, discharged by the nearby Orot Rabin power station, which attract dusky and sandbar sharks—species generally considered non-aggressive toward humans.
Video footage shared on social media captured the disturbing moments as beachgoers shouted in panic, with one man seen struggling in the water before vanishing from view.
“I saw blood in the water and heard people screaming. It was terrifying,” witness Eliya Motai told Israeli media outlet Ynet. He noted that sharks had been visible near the shore just the day before.
This attack is believed to be only the fourth documented shark attack in Israel’s history. Historically, despite the shark presence around the power station, no fatalities had been recorded since the nation’s founding in 1948.
Authorities closed the beach to the public while emergency teams combed the area for signs of the missing man. Experts explain that the convergence of warmed water and abundant fish creates ideal conditions for sharks, although such incidents remain extremely rare.
The unexpected nature of the attack has reignited discussions around beach safety and wildlife monitoring near industrial discharge zones.
