Israeli traveler killed in car crash in India
Elad Fishman, 31, killed in India's Rishikesh as his motorcycle collides with local bus. Foreign Ministry in touch with local authorities to bring body to Israel
Elad Fishman, a 31-year-old Israeli traveler, was killed in a car crash in India's
Rishikesh. The Foreign Ministry, which was informed of the accident over the weekend, is now focused on bringing the body to Israel, after notifying his family of his death.
Elad was part of a family of triathlonists. Father Tzvika is Israel's champion for his age group, and so are two of his sisters. Elad himself loved the sea and diving. "He was talented in sports. He worked as a diving instructor in Eilat, and saved every penny to go on this big trip, which he planned for years," said the father. "But it wasn't just a job. He would go down to the shore at the every possible moment, collect dirt from the bottom of the sea."
Fishman rode a motorcycle and crashed into a bus. The Foreign Ministry is hoping the coffin will arrive in Israel in the next few days. According to a source within the ministry, the procedure usually takes two to three days.
Related stories:
- Israeli found dead in Slovenia after rafting accident
- Report: Israeli woman's body found in Germany
- 90 countries in 8 years: Israeli traveler's story
"We can at least take some comfort in the fact that during the past few months, on his trip, he enjoyed every moment. He simply celebrated life and the things he saw," said Elad's father Tzvika. "He wrote to us not long ago and said we should make plenty of room on our computer because he wants to send us thousands of pictures he has taken. I hope these pictures are not lost and will come back with him."
Elad Fishman on his motorcycle in India
Eight months ago Elad went on a long trip to Nepal and India. He reported back to his family on every occasion through Facebook. He shared experiences from the trip he had dreamt about for years. At the end of the trip he was meant to come back to Israel and study veterinary medicine. "We went through all of his childhood photos," said father Tzvika, "there's not one picture in which he's not smiling. He was happy, his life was good. Nothing was ever bad."
The father said that he heard about the accident from policemen who received the information from the Foreign Ministry and came to the family's home to deliver the bad news late Saturday night. "The accident took place 12 hours away from New Delhi. The Foreign Ministry sent an ambulance there to get him out, and we hope that by Tuesday he will be brought home."
Elad served in an elite combat unit in the IDF, and 12 years ago was injured in an accident while on his way home. His vehicle hit a bus and Elad was seriously injured, but managed to recover. "He was a strong boy, muscular. He managed to come out of that accident," said the father. "This time, in India, he didn't make it."
The date of the funeral had yes to be determined. The delivery of the body is a joint effort of the Israeli embassy in New Delhi and the Foreign Ministry's Situation Room.
- Receive Ynetnews updates
directly to your desktop
