BEIT SHE’AN, Israel — A police search for an American tourist who went missing while visiting ruins in Israel was widened Monday.
Herman Kahn, 80, was last seen at ancient ruins in Beit She’an with a group of tourists at around 12:00 p.m. local time Friday, The Jerusalem Post reported.
A large-scale police search was triggered after his wife reported him missing, with helicopters scouring the area around the ruins.
Beit She’an police station chief Dep. Cmdr Ran Ofir told the newspaper, “We’ve widened the search to other areas, including Tiberius, Jerusalem, the Dead Sea and other tourist attraction centers.”
Ofir said search teams scoured the area around the archaeological site and that he believed the missing man may have boarded a bus to another destination in Israel.
Rev. Mike Graves, coleading a group of Americans visiting the country, said that Kahn suffered an accident a few years ago that made him confused at times.
But he said police reports that suggested the senior citizen had suffered a stroke were incorrect. He told the newspaper, “Although his symptoms would resemble that [a stroke]. Bottom line, he may not approach people for help.”
Kahn, who has white hair and a hearing aid, was last seen wearing a white shirt and khaki-colored trousers.