BD"H - A Body Matching Aharon Sofer was Found

YWN:

BREAKING: Body Suspected To Be Of Missing Yeshiva Student Aaron Sofer Found In Jerusalem Forest

A body thought to be that of missing Yeshiva student Aaron Sofer was just found in the Jerusalem Forest – the same forest where Aaron was reported to have gone missing last Friday while hiking.

The body has been taken by Zaka and police for further examination and to determine the exact cause of death. It seems that he fell off a cliff while trying to navigate his way out of the forest and that his death was caused by dehydration. There are no signs of violence apparent on his body that would lead to the notion that terror was involved.

The parents of Aaron Sofer had traveled to Israel on Sunday, where they have been working with police and search teams.Thousands of volunteers searched the forest and other areas the past 6 days, while hundreds of thousands around the globe davened for his safe return.

Further details will be published as they become available.

A7:

Body 'Fitting Aharon Soffer's Description' Found in Jerusalem

As the search continueed for Aharon Soffer, a 23-year-old yeshiva student from New Jersey who went missing in the Jerusalem Forest last Friday, police were reported to be widening the area being searched and adding additional forces to the efforts, but the latest reports indicate that the search may be over, after a body was found in Ein Kerem Thursday afternoon.

Police are attempting to determine if it is Soffer's. The body is reportedly that of a man. Walla! News reported that the body fits Soffer's description. Behadrei Haredim, a hareidi news site, reported that the body is indeed Soffer's and that the search was called off after certain items connected to Soffer were found next to the body.

An uncorroborated report in the Lakewood News cited unnamed sources who also said the body found is indeed Soffer's and that the death does not appear to be terror related. Additionally, it appears he may have fallen down a cliff while attempting to navigate his way out of the forest, reported the news outlet. Soffer is originally from Lakewood.

The IDF's canine units and the Jerusalem District Police's mounted units intensified the searched Wednesday night and on into Thursday through a wider ring of the Jerusalem Forest.

The decision to expand the area being searched was put into effect on Thursday afternoon, and has search teams fanning through the neighborhoods bordering the Jerusalem Forest, including Ein Kerem, Kiryat Yovel, Beit Zayit, Bayit Vagan and Har Nof.