Israeli woman’s body flown home after Ngorongoro crash

Arusha. The body of a woman from Tel Aviv in Israel, who was killed in a Ngorongoro accident last Saturday, has been flown back home, the Israeli envoy said.

The woman identified as Inbar Greidinger-Geisler, 30, was killed when the vehicle she was travelling in rolled over during a family trip to safari in Tanzania and three members of the family suffered injuries.

Speaking on Monday, January 6, 2025, on the phone from Nairobi, the Israeli envoy to Kenya and the East African region, Mr Michael Lotem, confirmed that the body was flown back home alongside the other injured persons, including the deceased's husband.

“We appreciate the cooperation received from local authorities and the management of the hospitals that attended to the injured Israelis in Karatu,” said ambassador Lotem.

Greidinger-Geisler was with five family members. They were evacuated from the scene by helicopter to Karatu District designated hospital run by the Lutheran Church as well as the FAME private medical centre.

Inbar, who was married last year to Or Gisler, happens to be the daughter of businessman Israel Greidinger and University of Haifa library director Naomi Greidinger.

She was also accompanied by her husband during the trip to Tanzania and other family members who were slightly injured in the accident.

The group was riding in a Toyota Landcruiser vehicle belonging to the Wakali Safaris of Arusha.

The director of Wakali Safaris, Mr Jonathan Samuel, revealed that the safari truck with their company’s branding was actually hired.

“We assisted in the process of evacuating the injured passengers who have so far been flown back home,” explained Mr Samuel.

The Israeli tourists were covered under the Harel Insurance Company, whose spokesperson said that the family had been evacuated by helicopter to a local hospital with a range of injuries and that an Israeli doctor was flown out to assist with their medical treatment.

Miri Geffen Zilkha, head of the health and foreign claims department at Harel Insurance, stated that the firm decided to immediately send an Israeli doctor to provide prompt and optimal medical care to the insured just as they were being flown back home.

The management of Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA) through a statement issued by their communications officer, Mr Hamis Dambaya, blamed reckless driving on the side of the tour van driver which rolled over at the weekend.

According to Mr Dambaya, the accident which killed the Israeli tourist occurred near the crater viewpoint as the safari vehicle was driving back towards the Loduare entry gate.