Six Thai workers were injured in an explosion at an agricultural area near the border of Israel and Lebanon this morning, August 18. Two workers are reportedly in critical condition.
Magen David Adom (MDA) reported that police and a medical team received a report of an explosion in a nectarine orchard near Metula at 6.52am local time.
Police attended the scene together with bomb disposal personnel to examine the area and determine the circumstances of the explosion.
Upon arrival, officials found six Thai workers were injured in the incident. The workers were conscious but had injuries to various parts of their bodies.
They received first aid to control bleeding before being transferred to Ziv Medical Centre in Safed via helicopter and ambulance with assistance from an Israeli military medical team.
Two of the Thai nationals were seriously injured, one was in moderate condition, and three others sustained mild injuries.
Aviram Nissan, director of the surgical department at Ziv Medical Centre, said one of the seriously injured workers was taken into emergency surgery. The other seriously injured worker was undergoing diagnostic examinations to assess his condition and determine further treatment.
Metula’s local council said the initial assessment was that the blast was caused by old unexploded ordnance that had remained in the area without previously being detected.
The exact origin of the ordnance and when it was left in the area have not yet been established. Israeli police have opened an investigation into the explosion.
The Jerusalem Post reported that the ordnance was believed to have been part of a cluster munition, although this is unconfirmed by the Israel Defence Forces.
The incident comes after prolonged fighting along Israel’s northern border, which has left unexploded ordnance and fragments from weapons in some areas.
Officials have warned the public not to touch bomb fragments, pieces from intercepted rockets or other suspicious objects and to move away from them and contact police.
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