Horror in the Skies: 2 American Yeshiva Bachurim, 1 From the UK, Perish in Ukraine Plane Crash

As though this year could not get any more tragic, the Jewish world was stunned this morning to learn of this horrific event in the skies of the Ukraine. 

Three yeshiva bachurim--one from Monsey, one from Williamsburg-- and one from London had been traveling to mekomos hakedoshim around Ukraine. One of them was a chosson, seeking to invoke the holy zechusim of the tzaddikim in advance of his wedding. They had spent Shabbos in Medzibuz by the holy Ba’al Shem Tov, and were making their way westward, when this horrific tragedy occured. 

Over the skies of Kolomaya, in Western Ukraine, the small sports plane holding the pilot and the three bachurim fell in a ball of fire into a villa in Kolomaya. 

It is unknown whether the plane had been on fire before the crash; local authorities are investigating. According to their route, they would have been making their way into Poland and Galicia, to the plethora of holy sites in that region, likely seeking to avoid the long drive through Ukraine--although the precise details are unknown at this time. 

But their journey ended in shocking tragedy--throwing the entire Jewish world into mourning, along with their grieving families.

UPDATE: The names of the niftarim have now been released: Heshy Weiss Z”L, Lazer Brill Z”L and Amrom Fromowitz Z”L who had been engaged to a girl from Boro Park, bringing this tragedy even closer to home.