FLOODWATERS RISING FAST: Israeli Air Force Helicopter Spotlights Stranded Man On Van Roof
A dramatic nighttime rescue is unfolding in Israel, where Israeli Air Force Unit 669 has reportedly been sent in by helicopter to save a driver whose white van got stuck in the middle of a flooded river. The van was swept into the rushing water after a storm earlier in the day, and video from the scene shows it partly submerged. The driver can be seen waiting on the roof while the helicopter's spotlight lights up the dark, churning river around him. In a selfie-style clip, the man describes how fast the floodwater is moving, which shows just how dangerous the situation became.
Unit 669 is the Air Force's elite search-and-rescue team, known for pulling people out of flash floods and other emergencies in difficult conditions. The footage was shared online by @DocumentIsrael, an account that regularly posts real-time clips of incidents across the country. Officials have not yet released details about the driver's condition or exactly how the rescue went, so the full outcome is still unclear. The video is also a reminder of how quickly a road crossing can turn deadly when rivers and streams rise fast in a storm. People are now asking where the van entered the water and what the driver was doing on the road when the storm hit.