JERUSALEM — A large crowd gathered Wednesday on Mount Herzl as Maj. Gen. (res.) Uriah Sarousi was laid to rest after drowning in the Jordan River while trying to save his son, according to officials and local reports.

Officials said the boy was ultimately pulled from the water by his older brother, while Sarousi was carried downstream by the current and disappeared from sight. He was later located hundreds of meters away, unconscious.

Emergency crews, including fire and rescue teams and a specialized northern rescue unit, conducted extensive searches along the riverbanks in difficult conditions before recovering Sarousi. He was pulled from the water in critical condition and taken for medical treatment, but was later pronounced dead, authorities said.

Medical responders said they performed advanced resuscitation efforts after he was found without a pulse or breathing.

A medic who responded to the scene said the father had entered the water after attempting to save his child, describing a complex rescue effort that ended in tragedy.

Local officials and community leaders expressed shock and grief. A regional council leader in Samaria said Sarousi’s final act reflected his character as someone who consistently acted to save others, calling him a devoted father and a committed soldier who served both in the military and civilian life.

Sarousi is survived by his wife and eight children.