Israeli Hiker Tevel Shabtai Found Dead in Japan’s Daisetsuzan Nature Reserve

An Israeli hiker, Tevel Shabtai, 23, from Modi’in, was found dead in Japan on Tuesday after going missing during a solo excursion the week before. She was last seen in the Daisetsuzan Nature Reserve, specifically in the Mount Asahi area, where she had been traveling alone as part of an extended trip. Shabtai began her hike up Mount Asahi after taking a cable car and registering at the reserve's entrance, and the weather conditions were reportedly severe when she began her hike. The Jerusalem Post said temperatures ranged from 0 to -5 degrees Celsius, along with snow and strong winds that significantly hampered search efforts following her disappearance.

“An Israeli hiker was found dead in Japan on Tuesday after going missing during a solo excursion the week before”

The Jerusalem Post

Kan News reported that Shabtai's friends lost contact with her last Friday after she called her mother to inform her of the plan to climb the mountain. According to The Jerusalem Post, when friends and family were unable to reestablish any further contact, they contacted the Israeli embassy in Japan, and on Monday afternoon the embassy alerted the police about her disappearance. Search, rescue operations began after embassy notified of disappearance, with a search operation beginning the following morning at 9 a.m. The Jerusalem Post added that Magnus coordinated all communication with local authorities in Japan and closely supervised the search process through a local contact, with Japanese police, rescue teams, and volunteers supported by a helicopter overhead.

Magnus announced that, despite intensive efforts, Shabtai was found deceased, and her cause of death has not been officially confirmed in The Jerusalem Post. The report said that her death may have resulted from the extreme weather conditions Shabtai encountered during her ascent up the mountain. The Jerusalem Post quoted the rescue team saying, "Magnus Search and Rescue shares in the family’s deep grief and continues to support them during this difficult time while assisting local authorities in arranging her burial in Israel." Ynetnews said Shabtai’s mother notified the Israeli Embassy in Japan after Shabtai told her on May 1 that she planned to climb Mount Asahi, and it described the mountain as rising to 2,291 meters, or 7,516 feet.

“Magnus Search and Rescue identified the woman as Tevel Shabtai of Modiin”

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