A joint rescue effort unfolded Tuesday morning when lifeguards acted to free a loggerhead sea turtle tangled in fishing line.

The animal was spotted by three lifeguards from the Haifa Municipality Coastal Department, with Professor Roee Diamant, head of a lab at the University of Haifa School of Marine Sciences, quickly joining the response.

After alerting the Israel Nature and Parks Authority hotline, the groups retrieved the turtle from the water. Marine unit inspector Ilya Baskin reached the site within thirty minutes and transported the turtle to the National Sea Turtle Center in Mikhomoret for care.

Professor Diamant noted frequent work along that coastline and observed a high volume of ghost nets, fishing lines, and hooks left behind, calling them a serious hazard that often injures sea turtles in the area.

The turtle received the name Halil (Flute) in honor of one rescue team member.

Haifa Municipality Addresses Ocean Pollution

Haifa Municipality representatives commended the rescuers for their swift action. Rita Sassi, Director of the Beaches Department, stated that lifeguards protect both swimmers and the marine environment, and their prompt response likely spared the turtle further injury.

Mayor Yona Yahav praised the team for extending their duties beyond human safety to aid a distressed animal, thanking Professor Diamant, student Ron Banjo, Nature and Parks Authority staff, and the National Center for Sea Turtle Rescue for their rapid cooperation.

Yahav stressed that discarded fishing lines, nets, and waste create deadly risks for marine life and called on everyone to safeguard the sea, noting Haifa's commitment to preserving its coastal habitat for future generations while wishing Halil a swift recovery and return to open water.

Halil is now recovering in Mikhomoret, where staff report necrosis in the injured limb yet confirm no fracture on X-rays.

The turtle faces an extended rehabilitation period before a possible release back into the sea.