Indian worker loses leg after crane accident at Jerusalem construction site

Representational image. File pic

An Indian worker lost his leg after tiles being lifted by a crane fell on him at a construction site in Jerusalem.

Sharwan Kumar Warma, 36, from Rajasthan, lost his left leg in the accident last Wednesday and is currently under treatment at Hadassah Hospital in Ein Kerem, Jerusalem.

"His leg was severed from his body at the construction site itself the very moment tiles fell on him from a crane whose belt got torn midway in the air," Warma's colleagues from India informed PTI.

"He received emergency treatment at the site and was then transferred to the hospital in an unconscious state," one of them stated.

He was initially admitted to the neurosurgery department but was transferred to a general ward on Tuesday after "starting to respond and speak somewhat", his colleagues said.

An executive at the company which Warna works for told PTI that he (Warna) is "fully covered through insurance" and that the company is also involving Bituach Leumi (National Insurance) "so that he can get the best possible care".

The incident has given rise to concerns among Indian workers over the safety of workplaces and compensation in the rare scenario of workplace accidents.

The Indian embassy in Israel sent officials to check in on the worker at the hospital. "The embassy is in touch with concerned officials to make sure that the worker is looked after properly," the mission said.

Ambassadors from other nations discuss issues of foreign workers in Israel

Meanwhile, ambassadors and representatives from the Philippines, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Fiji, Singapore, Vietnam, and Nepal came together at the Philippine Embassy on Tuesday to discuss issues pertaining to foreign workers in Israel.

The group placed importance on the need for coordinated efforts to address issues consisting of safety and security, compensation, emergency re-entry visas, and workplace accidents, as well as various other concerns affecting the well-being and protection of foreign workers in Israel.

There are an estimated total of more than 40,000 Indian workers in Israel, with several thousand more workers expected to join them as the country faces a severe labour shortage.

(With PTI inputs)