Convicted and banned from leaving the country, man swims to Jordan
After being denied exit to Jordan at the Rabin crossing, Yuri Komer from Ashdod entered the sea and swam to Aqaba, evading Israeli surveillance. He was found with a large sum of cash, though he claims he was swept away by the current.
Following a recent incident where a jet ski rider drifted into Jordanian waters and triggered an IDF Navy alert, another unusual border crossing has come to light.
Jordanian security forces transferred 44-year-old Yuri Komer of Ashdod to Israel on Thursday. Komer, who was under a travel ban due to a conviction for sex offenses, allegedly swam across the border to Aqaba. He spent approximately two weeks in Jordanian detention before being returned to Israel and handed over to Eilat police.
From Ashdod to Aqaba
According to case details, Komer had equipped himself with a large sum of cash and initially attempted to cross the border legally via the Rabin crossing in the Arava, but was denied exit. He then traveled to Eilat, entered the sea, and swam across the Red Sea. He reached the Jordanian side of the gulf undetected by Israeli surveillance and was subsequently arrested by Jordanian authorities.
After two weeks of detention in Jordan, Komer was transferred to Israel. Eilat police investigators brought him before the Magistrate's Court to extend his detention while they clarify the circumstances of his illegal crossing.
Komer was under a travel ban following a conviction that resulted in community service rather than prison time. He had initially been reported missing after disappearing from Ashdod earlier this month. His whereabouts were confirmed only after Jordanian security services notified Israel of his arrest.
In their request for an extension of detention, police argued that Komer had left the country illegally and in violation of a court order. Investigators requested three additional days to complete their inquiries, citing concerns that Komer might interfere with the investigation.
Komer claims he reached the shore of Aqaba only after being swept away by the current while swimming. He failed to provide a satisfactory explanation for the large sum of cash he was carrying. His attorney, Nimrod Aviram, stated that Komer suffered muscle cramps during the swim and feared he would drown.
The Eilat Magistrate's Court eventually ruled that Komer be released to house arrest under restrictive conditions. Judge Gil Edelman wrote in his decision: "I have found reasonable suspicion that the suspect committed the offenses attributed to him, specifically the offense of leaving Israel through a non-designated border point." However, the judge expressed doubt regarding the charge of violating a legal order. The decision also noted that while Komer was detained in Jordan, his vehicle was towed by the Eilat municipality to an impound lot.
