Swimmers Cross Dead Sea to Highlight Its Decline
About 30 open-water swimmers covered over five kilometers to draw attention to the sea's shrinking water levels.
Updated on Nov. 13, 2026 in Swimming
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Around 30 open-water swimmers from Israel and overseas swam more than five kilometers across the Dead Sea from Metzoke Dragot to Mitzpe Shalem on Friday, wearing full-face masks to guard against the salt. The swim was organized by the Dead Sea Guardians to promote preservation of the sea.
Why it matters
The Dead Sea's water level has dropped by about 11 meters since the inaugural swim 10 years ago, and it is sinking by over one meter each year. Sinkholes are opening along the shore as the water recedes, placing pressure on communities and infrastructure around the sea.
Water-level figures cited by the organizers show a drop of about 11 meters over the past decade, equal to over one meter of sinking per year. The extraction does not detail how the measurements were taken or how far the decline is projected to continue.
The players
Dead Sea Guardians
A public benefit corporation that works to promote the preservation of the Dead Sea and organized the swim.
Oded Rahav
An entrepreneur who heads the Dead Sea Guardians and organized the swim to draw attention to the sea's decline.
Dead Sea Works
An Israeli company that pumps water into evaporation ponds to extract minerals from the Dead Sea.
Arab Potash Company
A Jordanian company that pumps water into evaporation ponds to extract minerals from the Dead Sea.
The details
Swimmers traveled from Metzoke Dragot to Mitzpe Shalem, a route of over five kilometers across the Dead Sea. The swim was organized by entrepreneur Oded Rahav, who heads the Dead Sea Guardians, a public benefit corporation. Organizers attribute the decline to water from the Jordan River being diverted upstream for drinking water and farming, while Israel's Dead Sea Works and Jordan's Arab Potash Company pump water into evaporation ponds to extract minerals.
Timeline
10 years ago: The inaugural swim from Israel to Jordan took place with participants from several countries.
Friday: The swim from Metzoke Dragot to Mitzpe Shalem was held.
Season Trajectory
The inaugural swim a decade ago from Israel to Jordan marked an early public effort to highlight the sea's decline, and this year's swim picks up the same appeal. Measured against that starting point, the water level has fallen about 11 meters, showing the decline has persisted rather than leveled off.
The swim highlights a documented decline of over one meter per year, which affects the sea's shoreline and the communities that depend on it. Readers following open-water swimming can note that the event centered on a public awareness goal rather than competition.
The takeaway
Diverted river water and mineral extraction are the documented causes of the Dead Sea's decline, so reducing upstream diversion is the central lever for slowing the sinking. Following organizations such as the Dead Sea Guardians can help readers track progress on preservation efforts.
Further reading
Explore more Swimming coverage for context on open-water events like this one.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Times of Israel.
Live Poll
Should the government give higher priority to saving the Dead Sea?
