Search Continues in Austria for Missing Israeli Mother and Daughter

Austrian police continued their efforts today (Wednesday) to locate Mali and Liel Yahalomi, an Israeli mother and daughter who have been out of contact for six days. The search is being carried out at the request of the Israeli Embassy in Austria. The police investigation is focused on the Vienna area.

Local police said that "all standard measures applicable to missing-person cases have been taken in this incident, in cooperation with the Israeli diplomatic mission in Austria."

As reported, the mother and daughter had been in the Czech Republic and crossed into Austria. The investigation has so far found that they left their hotel but did not arrive on Friday for the dinner at *Chabad*, which they had told family members in Israel they planned to attend. The women also have not contacted their family in recent days and did not make their flight, which departed for Israel yesterday. The two observe *Shabbat*, but cellphone location data from Saturday night shows they were in the area of Vienna’s main train station on *Shabbat*. Their phones have been switched off since then.

In the afternoon, the family asked to issue a statement on its behalf: "We ask for your help in continuing coverage of the disappearance of Mali Yahalomi, 50, and her daughter Liel, 23, who have been out of contact since Friday, August 7, after they were last seen in Vienna. The family is working with authorities in Israel and Austria while also expanding search efforts through professional teams on the ground. To this end, a fundraising campaign has been launched to finance the search operation, which is estimated to cost about $100,000."

"We would appreciate every effort to include in the coverage a call for the public to donate to and share the campaign. Every hour matters, and every bit of assistance helps expand the search efforts."

Their son and brother, Ronen, boarded a flight to Vienna this morning to search for his family members. Speaking with Channel 12’s morning program, he said: "Your mind thinks of every possible scenario, logical or illogical. Everything that is happening does not fit with our family’s life and makes no sense. Nothing can point to any particular scenario, and since yesterday evening we have been prepared for any news that may come."

Family members said they have no leads. According to them, the two women’s trip had been routine, and they had remained in contact with the family until Friday evening. The Israeli Embassy in Vienna said in a statement that anyone with new information about them should urgently contact the emergency number +436763672304 or local police.