After a week of searching and heavy concern for their safety, Israeli police released footage from the moments they located Mali Yahalomi and her daughter Liel, who had lost contact during their stay in Europe. The two were found safe and healthy on a bus in South America, following a cross-continental search operation.
In the footage, Chief Superintendent Walter Alejandro Kogan, the Israeli police representative in Latin America, is seen boarding the bus where the two were staying and approaching them. “Hi Mali, hi Liel, I’m Walter,” he’s heard saying to them, before introducing himself as the police representative in South America. Kogan was rushed to Argentina as part of the search operation, after the investigation revealed that the mother and daughter continued from Vienna to Frankfurt and from there flew to Argentina. The two were located while traveling on a long-distance bus, and according to police sources, Buenos Aires was apparently not their final destination.
After they were located, the police representative spoke with the two and confirmed they were safe and healthy. Since both are adult women and no suspicion arose that they committed a criminal offense, there was no basis to detain them and they were released. Police estimate their disappearance was planned in advance and that the two acted deliberately to make it difficult to locate them. The investigation examined their travel route, their use of mobile devices, and preparations they made before leaving Israel.