An Israeli man who has been living in the United States for the past number of years died on Sunday while hiking with his family at Wallace Falls in Washington State. Ori Nathanson, 33, who had been sent by his company to work in the U.S. was hiking with his wife and dog when he and his dog fell from the Sky Valley lookout down a cliff of some 256 feet. While the dog only fell 50 feet and was unhurt, Nathanson fell the majority of the drop.

Nathanson’s wife dialed 911 and asked for immediate help. Snohomish County rescuers were unable to arrive at his location due to the treacherous terrain and called in a helicopter rescue team to pull Nathanson out of the ravine. By the time they arrived, Nathanson was no longer alive.

Nathanson, who grew up in Haifa, will be brought to Israel for burial. He is the fifth person to die while hiking the Wallace Falls trail this year.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry issued a statement which read, “Nathanson has already been living for some time in Seattle and his wife and Father already live there as well. Noa Shapira Maor, the Israeli Consul in San Francisco is handling the issue from there.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)