Israeli Vacationer Missing After Hippo Attack on African Safari
An Israeli attorney on vacation with his family in the southern African nation of Zambia is missing after a hippopotamus flipped over the boat he was riding in with his children.
Israeli media are reporting that Aviyam Yariv, 39, the son of Israeli editor and model Hilit Yeshurun, was likely attacked by hippos and alligators in the Zambezi River, which separates Zambia from Zimbabwe.
Yariv’s two children were able to make it to shore; he reportedly was not wearing a life jacket.
Yeshurun has arrived in Zambia to help search for her son. The Israeli consul to Nairobi in Kenya, the closest diplomat to the incident, also has arrived to assist in the search, Ynet reported.
The Zambezi is one of the most picturesque rivers in Africa and teeming pods of hippos fill the shallow water. Lions peer from the banks and giant herds of game live on remote islands.
Hello, fellow Forward reader! I’m Joel Brown, a Forward reader and supporter for more than 15 years, and currently the chair of the board of directors.
I’m an avid Forward reader because it ticks so many of my essential boxes: excellent journalism, Jewish focus and diverse viewpoints. In today’s political climate, what I most appreciate is the Forward’s independence — made possible by the generosity of its membership.
The Forward is committed to bringing you unbiased, nuanced Jewish news. From my position as board chair, I see an exciting future as we expand our position as the definitive independent voice of contemporary American Judaism.
That’s why I’m paying it Forward, by matching $36,000 of reader gifts. It’s an investment in the Forward’s newsroom, to continue telling the American Jewish story with truth and independence.
— Joel Brown, Forward board chair
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
