Israeli boy rescued from Dead Sea

An eight-year-old Israeli boy spent six hours floating in the Dead Sea alone at night after his father left him there by accident during a family trip.

The Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth and one of srael's most popular tourist attractions, has an abnormally high salt concentration that allows swimmers to float on the surface.

Rescue workers said the boy, Shneur Zalman Friedman, from Jerusalem, was in the sea with his father and two brothers when currents swept him away from shore, without anyone else noticing.

Police spokesperson Micky Rsenfeld said the family was part of a large group visiting a beach reserve for ultra-Orthodox Jewish men -- who do not bathe in the presence of women -- away from main public areas.

His father left the water with other members of the group and only noticed the boy was missing as darkness fell, Rsenfeld said.

A major search by police helicopters and volunteers in motorboat finally found Shneur about three kilometres from the shore after six hours in the strong-smelling, corrosive water, Yhuda Meshi-Zahav of the Zaka rescue organisation said.