Several ambulances and police officers were seen evacuating and treating dozens of injured people in Meron, on Thursday night, after at least 44 people were killed at a crowded religious festival during a stampede, which left dozens wounded.

A helicopter was also seen arriving at the site, while authorities were investigating the incident with witnesses.

During the stampede, which involved a structure collapsing at the festival, several people slipped, causing dozens more to fall as a consequence. Authorities evacuated the festival and a field hospital was set-up on site, while dozens of ambulances and six helicopter evacuated the injured.

The incident took place as tens of thousands of primarily ultra-Orthodox Jews participated in the annual event, around the tomb of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, a 2nd-century Tannaitic sage. The festival was the largest event taking place in the country since the beginning of the pandemic.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the incident a ‘heavy disaster.’