Israel crushing tragedy

[NotActuallyALonghorn 4977]

Crush at religious festival in Israel's Mount Meron kills 45 people

Quote

Mount Meron, Israel(CNN)Hundreds of buses stretched over miles of winding road were ferrying thousands of worshipers off Mount Meron in northern Israel on Friday after 45 people were killed and some 150 others injured in a crush at a mass Jewish gathering overnight.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the incident a "huge disaster," while paramedics described chaotic scenes of teams administering CPR en masse to people, including children, lying breathless on the ground.

Kalanit Taub, a first responder, described a "horrific scene" with "nonstop people to care for."

 

"I saw 20 plus CPRs ongoing at the same time," Taub told CNN. "Anywhere you looked, you saw another person doing CPR."

In the hours afterward, she said she saw people crying or staring into space, struggling to process what they had seen.

Israeli investigators are examining exactly how the crush happened at the mountain, where worshipers marked the Lag B'Omer holiday, an annual event where participants sing, dance and light fires in homage to second-century sage Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai at his burial site.

 

 

Israel's health ministry had urged people not to attend the festival, warning of the risk of another coronavirus outbreak. However, case numbers have been low, and Israel has already fully vaccinated more than 58% of its population, so the event was allowed to proceed.

Dov Maisel, vice president of operations of the volunteer-based emergency organization United Hatzalah, told CNN that around 100,000 people were in attendance, though such numbers aren't unusual for the annual festival. Maisel said up to 400,000 people had attended in past years.

Hundreds of people were pouring into the site at the same time from different directions, leading to a "massive amount of congestion," he said. People tightly packed in a small area had fallen down a staircase and crushed each other, he added.

"Overall they usually control the crowd, but at a certain point at the peak the crowd became too tight," Maisel said. "It was simply tragic and horrific."

Social media video from the site show men and boys crammed into a narrow passageway, which may be the stairway that Maisel refers to, when it suddenly becomes clear that many are struggling to continue walking, being thrown back and forth in waves of the commotion.

Most people hospitalized have been released, Health Minister Yuli Edelstein said Friday.

Wice Israel, a participant, described to Reuters how there was "no place to move, and people started to fall to the ground, a lot fell to the ground."

Shlomo Katz, another worshiper, told the news agency: "We were going to go inside for the dancing and stuff and all of a sudden we saw paramedics from MADA ... running by, like mid-CPR on kids, and then one after the other started coming out of ambulance, and then we understood something's going on here," he said.

Footage from the scene showed dozens of body bags lined up on the ground, and personal items like abandoned shoes and crushed eyeglasses lying scattered on the ground at the scene.

 

Dozens of ambulances parked in rows, their lights flashing, were on standby to receive the many injured. Authorities said 250 ambulances had been made available to respond. Six helicopters transferred some of the wounded to hospital. Paramedics were seen running all over the area, with stretchers carrying people in need of treatment.

 

 

The local police chief told Israeli TV he accepted full responsibility for the incident.

"I take overall responsibility, for good and for bad. I am ready for every eventuality," said Shimon Lavie, Israel Police's northern commander. He said Israel's northern police command had prioritized security and public safety, but he could not explain what caused the stampede.

Lavie commended police officers who tried to help victims before patients were ferried to hospitals in ambulances and by helicopter. "Police were saving people's lives while they were also dealing with this complicated incident," he said.

Lazar Hyman, vice president of United Hatzalah, said it was one of the worst tragedies that he had ever experienced. "I have not seen anything like this since I entered into the field of emergency medicine back in 2000," said Hyman.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the nation was praying for the injured in the "huge disaster."

"I want to strengthen the hand of those carrying out rescue efforts and who are operating on site," Netanyahu tweeted.

Each year, hundreds of thousands of Jews -- many of them ultra-Orthodox -- flock to Bar Yochai's tomb site on Mount Meron, which lies in the Upper Galilee region of northern Israel, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) northeast of the city of Haifa. Bar Yochai's book "The Zohar" is the foundation of Jewish mysticism.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.cnn.com/cnn/2021/04/29/world/israel-stampede-intl/index.html

[RomaVicta 29967]

Terrible thread title.

Sad story.

[Sandman 3411]

Thanks a lot, B'Omer.

[SubliminalHorn 6811]

I’ve thought about stampedes like this often when I’m in a huge crowd. Can’t imagine the terror going through their minds as they are helplessly crushed

[Hate 20135]

I hate huge crowds like that. I’m very claustrophobic in those situations. I usually hang out on the outside of the crowd so I can have a little space. I can’t imagine someone willingly packing themselves into tight spaces like that with other people.

[High Plains Drifter 11050]

 

nevermind, bad joke.

 

Edited April 30, 2021 by High Plains Drifter

[atomheartbevo 89777]

42 minutes ago, SubliminalHorn said:

I’ve thought about stampedes like this often when I’m in a huge crowd. 

Same, but just could never get one going.

[BigHorn'13 3386]

1 hour ago, Hate said:

I hate huge crowds like that. I’m very claustrophobic in those situations. I usually hang out on the outside of the crowd so I can have a little space. I can’t imagine someone willingly packing themselves into tight spaces like that with other people.

I've never taken a uber or Lyft or whatever ride app for this reason. Some may say it's a control issue. I say it's a "I don't want to die in the back of a Hyundai sonata today" issue. 

[South Austin 52564]

1 hour ago, Hate said:

I hate huge crowds like that. I’m very claustrophobic in those situations. I usually hang out on the outside of the crowd so I can have a little space. I can’t imagine someone willingly packing themselves into tight spaces like that with other people.

This is why I'm always back a good ways from the stage when watching Asleep at the Wheel at ACL Fest.

[RPM 26339]

1 hour ago, Hate said:

I hate huge crowds like that. I’m very claustrophobic in those situations. I usually hang out on the outside of the crowd so I can have a little space. I can’t imagine someone willingly packing themselves into tight spaces like that with other people.

I was at a Rush concert in Seattle that had festival seating, no seats, just open floor. Of course I made my way up close to the front early. Wasn't bad during the opening act, but about 20 minutes into the Rush show the crowd started pushing forward. It was getting hard to breathe and I couldn't get out so I had to literally fight my way to the edge and gtfo.

[Deej 76897]

2 hours ago, Hate said:

I can’t imagine someone willingly packing themselves into tight spaces like that with other people.

So you're not here for the gang bang?

[Judge Roybeanbag 11820]

4 hours ago, Sandman said:

Thanks a lot, B'Omer.

B’omared.

[WhatTheBuck 28797]

I feel sorry for the victims.

But when I read about it this morning the article said Netanyahu was praying for the victims. Why? Jews don’t believe in heaven or hell. So what was he praying for? Were those just words?

Oh, right. 

[Somnio 751]

2 hours ago, RPM said:

I was at a Rush concert in Seattle that had festival seating, no seats, just open floor. Of course I made my way up close to the front early. Wasn't bad during the opening act, but about 20 minutes into the Rush show the crowd started pushing forward. It was getting hard to breathe and I couldn't get out so I had to literally fight my way to the edge and gtfo.

Had that happen at the Y2K celebration in downtown Austin.  I think the media reported 250,000 were there, and as the countdown was occuring the crowd was pushing forward, but there was nowhere to go.  Luckily I was able to remain on my feet, but it was a terrifying experience.

[Stunns38 3538]

Had that happen at the Y2K celebration in downtown Austin.  I think the media reported 250,000 were there, and as the countdown was occuring the crowd was pushing forward, but there was nowhere to go.  Luckily I was able to remain on my feet, but it was a terrifying experience.

And at the 2001..02...03...and so on Texas Relays weekend downtown. 2001 had rubber billets flying.

[atomheartbevo 89777]

2 hours ago, Somnio said:

Had that happen at the Y2K celebration in downtown Austin.  I think the media reported 250,000 were there, and as the countdown was occuring the crowd was pushing forward, but there was nowhere to go.  Luckily I was able to remain on my feet, but it was a terrifying experience.

I can believe it. I was there - I managed to slip away from work for a few hours that evening.  There was a lot of ass grabbing going on. 

Mostly women.

[utee94 15852]

8 hours ago, Hate said:

I hate huge crowds like that. I’m very claustrophobic in those situations. I usually hang out on the outside of the crowd so I can have a little space. I can’t imagine someone willingly packing themselves into tight spaces like that with other people.

Same here.  It's why I mostly avoid crowded concerts and festivals.  On the rare occasions I do attend, I stay well to the back/sides. 

[DalTxHornFan 3116]

8 minutes ago, utee94 said:

Same here.  It's why I mostly avoid crowded concerts and festivals.  On the rare occasions I do attend, I stay well to the back/sides. 

Front row balcony is my jam.  Will never do open festival or floor seating no matter who is playing.

[mchookem 16366]

6 hours ago, BigHorn'13 said:

I've never taken a uber or Lyft or whatever ride app for this reason. Some may say it's a control issue. I say it's a "I don't want to die in the back of a Hyundai sonata today" issue. 

'splain? not getting the rideshare>>crushed in a crowd angle?

[mulletpelini 5215]

MC Girls Girls Girls tour.  Was at the front for opening act, no issues.  When the Crue started, massive push to the front.  My feet were off the ground and I got rotated 180 degrees with zero absolute control of what was happening.  Face to face with some fat nasty chick, we got to see the horror and panic in each others face until we finally got spit out the side.  Most scared I've ever been in my life and not even close.

[Lerka Lerka 1091]

52 minutes ago, mulletpelini said:

MC Girls Girls Girls tour.  Was at the front for opening act, no issues.  When the Crue started, massive push to the front.  My feet were off the ground and I got rotated 180 degrees with zero absolute control of what was happening.  Face to face with some fat nasty chick, we got to see the horror and panic in each others face until we finally got spit out the side.  Most scared I've ever been in my life and not even close.

Sounds like you were kickin’ ass on the wild side. 

[BigHorn'13 3386]

2 hours ago, mchookem said:

'splain? not getting the rideshare>>crushed in a crowd angle?

I'm an idiot that read crush as crash and skimmed the first paragraph which had buses in it.

[Paul Wesley 3289]

13 hours ago, Somnio said:

Had that happen at the Y2K celebration in downtown Austin.  

Me too.  It was terrifying.  Had a minute or two of being squished, feet off the ground, with moments where the entire mass of people lurched in one direction or another.  

 

 

[Druggist 303]

9 hours ago, mulletpelini said:

MC Girls Girls Girls tour.  Was at the front for opening act, no issues.  When the Crue started, massive push to the front.  My feet were off the ground and I got rotated 180 degrees with zero absolute control of what was happening.  Face to face with some fat nasty chick, we got to see the horror and panic in each others face until we finally got spit out the side.  Most scared I've ever been in my life and not even close.

I went to this at Reunion Arena at age 11. Whitesnake opened.   First big concert I ever went to.  Thank god we were lower balcony, because I was really small and wouldn’t have fared well.  Awesome show!

 

[That Guy 959]

I preferred the og thread title. 

[Armybrat 40873]

13 hours ago, mulletpelini said:

MC Girls Girls Girls tour.  Was at the front for opening act, no issues.  When the Crue started, massive push to the front.  My feet were off the ground and I got rotated 180 degrees with zero absolute control of what was happening.  Face to face with some fat nasty chick, we got to see the horror and panic in each others face until we finally got spit out the side.  Most scared I've ever been in my life and not even close.

Don’t ever get on a Japanese commuter train at rush hour.
We made that mistake once in Tokyo.

Edited May 1, 2021 by Armybrat

[austingirl 2191]

Awful. Shit like this always makes me think of Hillsborough.


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