The family of 39-year-old Eyal Baum, the Israeli citizen who was on the Germanwings Airbus A320 airliner that crashed in the French Alps between Barcelonnette and Digne, is devastated, they stated to the press Wednesday, as they prepare for his burial.
“We wanted the Foreign Ministry to do everything in its power to bring Eyal home to Israel for burial, among his family,” Eran, Eyal’s brother-in-law, stated Wednesday to Channel 10.
He added that the family “doesn’t even have a shred of hope anymore” that he will be brought home, but that they are “still waiting from the official announcement from the Foreign Ministry.”
The family of Baum earlier contacted the Foreign Ministry, reporting that he was supposed to be on the ill-fated flight which took off from Barcelona, Spain, where he lives. Before moving to Barcelona, Baum lived in Hod Hasharon in Israel; on Wednesday, he had been flying to Germany to meet with family before going home for the Passover holiday.
Eyal’s sister, Lital Baum-Betzalel, added that the tragedy has made her question her faith.
“He has been waiting so long for a meeting in Germany with the family, and to get home next week and celebrate the Passover Seder with us,” Lital said to Walla! News. “It was hard for him, living in Spain; he missed his family and friends.”
“He was charming, a good soul, a smiling and friendly man – really an angel,” she added. “I don’t know where God was yesterday. I really don’t know where he was.”
Lital, too, noted that the Foreign Ministry has been lax in contacting them.
“This is not a demand, this is a request: We would like to get information from someone other than the media, we would like to be informed of information directly,” she said. “No one has been in regular contact with us to update us, and I have to watch the news to know what’s going on with my brother.”
