A serene summer evening on the water was transformed into a tense wait for police when a family boating out in the Gulf of Eilat suddenly found their engine without power — and their boat heading for Jordanian territory.
Israel’s Marine Police received the summons Tuesday night from their vessel, carrying four adults and four children, saying their engine had stalled, and that they were unable to make it back to the beach in Eilat.
The police located the vessel and found it just 400 meters — barely a quarter of a mile — from the Jordanian border.
The wind had begun to blow from the west, raising concerns the vessel would drift into Jordanian territory. The Marine Police ship went to the location to take the children off the civilian vessel and then towed it ashore.
“The Marine Police stand ready to assist and rescue those in distress, using a life-saving sea vessel,” the Israel Police spokesperson said.