Young couple drown inside flooded lift in Israel

Dean Shoshani and Stav Harari. Photo / CEN/australscope

A young couple spent their last moments alive trapped together in a lift, frantically calling for help as it filled with water.

Dean Shoshani and Stav Harari, both 25, died in a building in the neighbourhood of Hatikva in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv on the western coast of Israel during the recent floods in the city.

The pair were trapped in the lift leading to the building's parking area, after an electricity fault.

While trapped inside, heavy rain flooded the parking level and began to leak into the lift, slowly filling it.

Haaretz reported that a passing neighbour heard them banging on the door from inside and called emergency services, who took hours to arrive.

Emergency services eventually used scuba gear to rescue the victims, sawing through the roof of the lift to reach the pair.

Rescuers needed to use scuba gear. Photo / CEN/australscope

Harari was reportedly transferred to the Sourasky Medical Center in Tel Aviv in critical condition and suffering from hypothermia.

Doctors could not revive her while Shoshani was reportedly revived at the scene and later taken to the Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer where he died because of his injuries.

Stav Harari. Photo / CEN/australscope

Some local residents and the building tenant claimed the emergency services took too long to answer their calls and they also complained about the infrastructure in the area.

One of the building's tenants whose name has not been reported told local media: "I called the police, at this point I already figured there were people trapped in the elevator and I got an answer only on the third try."

Alfred Jadid the owner of the building also said to local media: "I got a call about 20 minutes after the two got trapped. When I arrived, the water had already reached the ceiling. I started going crazy, we tried opening the elevator doors, but to no avail."

Dean Shoshani. Photo / CEN/australscope

Jadid also said: "Police only arrived about an hour later, but how would that help? The fire brigade arrived there after an hour and a half. All these floods are caused by the drainage system's failure. We have floods around here all the time. All the time."

According to the Tel Aviv-Jaffa Municipality, the accident is under investigation.

Shoshani and Harari were reportedly buried in adjacent graves on Sunday.

Eden Shoshani, Dean Shoshani's mother, said: "Just a few months ago, the two of you moved to a new apartment. You made a home that was sweet and pleasant – just like you. Now you've passed on together. I remember and treasure every moment with you."

According to local media, 83mm of rain fell in central and coastal Israeli cities on Saturday within just a few hours.