A haredi Jewish family from Manchester, England was on its way to leave Israel and head back home on Monday after a week-long trip in the Jewish homeland, when tragedy struck suddenly causing them to delay their return.

The family was at Ben-Gurion International Airport just about to board a plane taking them back home to Manchester, when the father of the family, aged in his 50s, suddenly collapsed apparently due to a heart attack.

ZAKA emergency rescue volunteers led by Mandy Haviv tried to save the man through resuscitation efforts, but the attempts were not successful, and a doctor was forced to determine his death.

Shmulik Segel, the ZAKA commander in Modi’in Illit who was at the scene, spoke about the tragic death.

“We received a call about someone who collapsed in Terminal 3 on their way to board a plane, when we arrived I saw worried family members, and while conducting resuscitation on the father we tried to calm the family members who were in a panic,” said Segel.

ZAKA volunteers remained with the bereaved wife and children, and will accompany them throughout the process while providing professional support in light of their tragic loss.