A trip to the Sea of Galilee three weeks ago could have ended in disaster after 11 passengers on a sinking boat were in danger of drowning.
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The Kineret Municipal Union’s head of security called on four lifeguards from several beaches to help with searches before sunset. After fervent efforts, seven of the individuals were rescued, but the Goren family – a father, a pregnant mother and two children ages 4 and 9 - were still missing.
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The Goren family presenting an award to Niso Darvish
(Photo: Oshri Weizmann, Kineret Municipal Union)
Niso Darvish, who has worked as a lifeguard in the Sea of Galilee for seven years and is familiar with the area, decided based on the strong winds to head deeper into the water with his jet ski.
After an hour of searching, right before sunset, Darvish spotted a hand waving at him for help, and found the missing family, that had been in the water for over five hours. They were exhausted, but luckily put on life vests that allowed them to float only minutes before their boat sank.
On Tuesday, Gili and Sinai Goren met with Darvish and the Kineret Municipal Union’s head Idan Greenbaum, and the other members of the rescue team to thank them for saving their lives.
Gili, who’s in the advanced stages of pregnancy, recounted during the meeting the difficult hours the family spent in the rough waters as high waves kept beating at them. She added that they attempted to calm their children down despite the situation, and held onto them tightly so they won’t be swept away by the current.
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Gili Goren thanks her rescuer Niso Darvish
(Photo: Oshri Weizmann, Kineret Municipal Union)
Gili recounted that when the family saw Darvish heading toward them on his jet ski, he seemed like a guardian angel and that the family will be forever thankful for him and his efforts.
She added that the memory of the event is still fresh in the family’s mind, and it will take time for them to overcome it. Greenbaum then presented Darvish with a civil award for his actions.
“The Sea of Galilee has many faces, both peaceful and very dangerous. We thank our lifeguards and personnel on the various beaches for the hard work they attend to daily in order to save lives,” he said.
“We’re particularly thankful for Niso, who insisted on heading out to continue the search on his jet ski to the deeper areas of the lake, thus saving the family’s lives. We’re thankful for his bravery and perseverance.”