- July 12, 2025
Samuel “Sam” Vengrinovich, a 44-year-old American and Israeli citizen, has been found alive after going missing on Friday, June 6, during a hike near Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh, northern India.
A resident of Jaffa, Israel, Samuel had last been seen trekking on Mount Triund, a popular hiking destination known for its scenic vistas.
Samuel is the son of Vlad and Tina Vengrinovich, longtime members of the Jewish community residing in Palm Coast. Samuel’s sister Natasha Vengrinovich said he had been in India for about eight or nine months, after first seeking asylum in Hungary after tensions in Israel escalated with Iran.
“He had been traveling and trying to figure out where he was going to live while the country he
[lived] in was at war," she said. "This journey was going to be one of his last before returning home to figure out what he wanted to do next."
Samuel went missing on June 6, and according to fellow hikers, he left his belongings, including his cell phone, at the overnight campsite and continued toward the snow line — a higher and more perilous section of the trail — despite deteriorating weather conditions.
Hagai, an Israeli hiker who encountered Samuel on the trail, noted that the conditions were tougher than usual and expressed concern that he might be stranded and in urgent need of rescue.
When Samuel failed to return to the campsite or make contact with friends, fellow travelers alerted local authorities and the Israeli Foreign Ministry. The Israeli Embassy in India also coordinated with police and rescue officials in the region.
Additionally, a number of Israeli backpackers joined the search efforts, along with Chabad of Dharamshala and Magnus International Search & Rescue, a private Israeli firm specializing in emergency response. Samuel’s father launched an online fundraising campaign on GoFundMe to help cover search and rescue expenses, including a potential helicopter operation.
Natasha received the news that her brother had been found — alive — in the early morning hours of Sunday, June 15.
Samuel had been walking toward a city in the distance for nine days, surviving on insects, grass, and even drinking his own urine.
Natasha credits her brother being found to many sources.
“We hired local trekkers, I contacted newscasters and senators, and posted on every social media channel I could think of,” she said. “It was really an international effort.”
Samuel is currently recovering in Fortis Hospital Kangra in India. His father plans to fly to India after his visa application is approved.
Funds from the GoFundMe will go toward surgeries for Samuel’s wrist and knee, as well as physical therapy and travel expenses.
