3 Israelis Killed In Maryland Plane Crash Are Identified

The three Israelis killed in a light-plane crash near Washington, D.C., have been identified as Yoav Bomrind, z’l, of Zichron Yaakov, Dovid Rabinowitz, z’l of Haifa, and Elad Neidik, z’l, of Toronto.

Bomrind and Rabinowitz will be laid to rest in Israel, while Neidik will be buried in Toronto, Canada.

Bomrind’s father said his son, who was adopted from the Ukraine at the age of one, had traveled to the US to pursue his dream of becoming a pilot.

The tragic accident occurred while the victims were aboard a Piper PA-28 aircraft that was en route from Ocean City, New Jersey to Montgomery County Airpark in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

The plane crashed less than 20 miles east of Washington, D.C., but was not located until the early hours of Monday morning, when rescue teams found the wreckage with the pilot and two passengers inside, all deceased.

Upon receiving the report of the disaster, Yanky Landau, the head of ZAKA USA, arrived at the scene and tirelessly worked for hours to ensure Kavod Hameis, together with volunteers from the Misaskim organization.

Yanky Landau said, “Immediately upon receiving the report, we arrived at the scene and began a joint operation with volunteers from the Misaskim organization and the local authorities. For many long hours, we worked with due respect for the niftarim, collecting all findings and handling the difficult scene. I would like to especially thank Ba’al Chessed Rabbi Matisyahu Melnick, who accompanied the handling of the incident from its inception, provided much assistance with all the authorities and various bodies, and acted with dedication and determination to bring about a swift conclusion to the scene’s handling and the release of the victims’ bodies as soon as possible, all while maintaining respect for Kavod Hameis and great sensitivity to the families.”

The search began after emergency dispatchers received an automatic crash alert from the iPhone of one of the victims. The alert prompted a large-scale response by law enforcement, fire, and rescue personnel, who conducted extensive searches throughout the area.

The operation continued for several hours until approximately 3:45 a.m., when the wreckage was discovered in a wooded area behind a residential complex and playground on Scarlet Oak Terrace.

When first responders reached the scene, they determined that there were no survivors.

According to officials, debris from the plane was scattered across an area of roughly 100 feet. The Maryland State Police responded to the scene and launched an investigation, which is being led by the National Transportation Safety Board with assistance from local and state authorities.