IDF Hearing for Five Officers in Drowning Case

Five IDF officers may be faced with charges of failing to take necessary precautions that led to the drowning of Sgt. Evyatar Yosefi, 20, during a training exercise in January, The Times of Israel reported.

The officers have been summoned to a hearing before the prosecutors file charges in the drowning, which occurred in a swollen stream in northern Israel during a navigation exercise.

The five officers involved in the tragic incident were all dismissed from their positions in March. Their names were not released, but they included the soldier’s team leader, a lieutenant; his deputy platoon commander, a lieutenant; his platoon commander, a captain; the commander of his training program, a major; and his battalion commander, a lieutenant colonel.

The commander of the Paratroopers Brigade, Col. Yaakov “Yaki” Dolef, also received an official censure on his record, the military said at the time.

After the hearing, the IDF will determine whether to prosecute the officers, and if so, on what specific offense.

The military adds, lessons have been learned from the incident and integrated into its current conduct.