Israeli Col. Golan Vach no longer believes there are Surfside building collapse survivors under rubble

SURFSIDE, Fla. – Israeli Col. Golan Vach, an experienced search-and-rescue operations expert, said he no longer believes there are any building collapse survivors under the rubble Sunday afternoon in Miami-Dade County’s town of Surfside.

Vach, who has been working at the Champlain Towers South site, said the circumstances during the last few days led him to believe the chances of finding survivors are close to zero. The reality is painful.

“We are going through this difficult time together. We talk every night ... Sometimes we cry. It’s natural, but we are tough guys. This is our job and we will do it as best as we can,” Vach said about his relationship with Florida Task Forces 1-2.

Vach said he and seven other Israeli experts will remain in Miami-Dade until Thursday to help reassess the situation after the upcoming demolition of the ruins. The Israeli technicians, he said, are going back home Monday.

“We were here 50 people but the whole country of Israel was behind us,” Vach said about the contribution to the rescue effort, which included everything from analysts to computer engineers.

Vach said two-dimensional and three-dimensional digital mapping was essential to recovering bodies out of the ruins of the Champlain Towers South at 8777 Collins Ave.

He said he made every effort to remain in communication with the families of the victims, and religion and nationalities were irrelevant to his team during their work in Surfside.

“Most of the people that I personally pulled out, extracted from the pile, were not Jewish,” Vach said.

The official death toll remained unchanged at 24 since the search was suspended Saturday. There are 121 people unaccounted for, police said.

“We are trying to be hopeful, but realistic at the same time,” Vach said about his conversations with the families of the victims.

A demolition team was at work Sunday at the site. Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said she ordered the demolition after recommendations from the Federal Emergency Management. The time and date of it have yet to be announced.

Complete coverage: Surfside Building Collapse

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• More about the victims identified
• Photos: Loved ones name those they say are missing
• Photos: Search-and-rescue teams in action
• Hotline and wellness form for residents and families

Coverage on July 4

• Demolition at site of Surfside building collapse could happen before Tropical Storm Elsa’s impact
• Surfside building collapse: Engineers prepare for demolition; search for 121 suspended

Coverage on July 3

• Crews on lookout for pets in Florida condo building collapse
• Remaining structure at Surfside building collapse site will be demolished
• Surfside search suspended as crew prepares for the demolition of the remainder of the building
• Demolition preparations begin at condo with storm looming

Coverage on July 2

• Miami firefighter’s daughter killed in Surfside building collapse identified as Stella Cattarossi
• Search-and-rescue team at Surfside building collapse site finds firefighter’s daughter dead
• North Miami Beach condo ordered shut, 300 residents need to leave immediately, city says
• Surfside police officers speak about initial moments after responding to collapse
• Biden has busy day following visit to Surfside

Coverage on July 1

• Biden in Surfside: We’ll ‘pick up 100% of the cost’
• ‘Waiting is unbearable’: Biden consoles Surfside families
• Death toll rises to 18 in Surfside, rescue crews pause operations due to safety concerns relating to standing structure
• Photographer, daughter and three other family members all missing in collapse
• Video shows grim reality of what rescuers are seeing at Surfside collapse site
• Safety concerns halt rescue efforts at condo collapse site
• Dispatch calls: ‘She’s stuck in between 2 beds,’ but responders couldn’t get to Surfside victim

Coverage on June 30

• Beloved ‘Dos Elenas’ legacy after Surfside tragedy will be legal reform
• Family of 4 confirmed to be among victims of Surfside building collapse
• Death toll rises in Surfside; more than 140 unaccounted for
• Rubble from Surfside condo brought to grassy field in Golden Glades’
• Ex-official who said Surfside condo was sound leaves new job
• Nonstop search efforts at Surfside building collapse site can take its toll on rescue workers
• Missing woman made phone call to her husband as Surfside condo collapsed
• Mother of North Bay Village police chief confirmed dead following Surfside collapse
• Remarkable stories of Surfside condo residents who survived by chance
• Family of missing woman files wrongful death lawsuit against Champlain Towers South Condo Association

Coverage on June 29

• ‘Something inside me said run’: Surfside survivor describes escaping as building came down
• Surfside resident lucky to be alive after spending night with girlfriend
• Champlain condo associations try to appease sister towers residents, speed up repairs
• Condominium law experts say tragedy will prompt more accountability
• Miami-Dade building audit already spotting issues
• Army of volunteers showers first responders with food, water
• Rescuers battle obstacles during their search in Surfside
• Recently married lawyer and husband missing in collapse
• Renowned civil engineer hired to investigate
• Families of Surfside victims keep hope alive by visiting condo and unifying in Bal Harbour
• Prosecutors will ask grand jury to probe building collapse
• ‘Our backyard’: Tragedy strikes home for Miami-Dade rescuers
• Biden to visit Florida building collapse on Thursday
• In collapsed building’s twin, most residents are staying put
• Surfside realtor says deadly building collapse ‘hasn’t slowed down the demand’ on beachside condos
• Beachside vigil held for victims and families of Surfside building collapse

Coverage on June 28

• Another body pulled from rubble in Surfside, bringing the total confirmed dead to 10
• Residential property audit announced by Miami-Dade mayor already underway
• Buses take loved ones of missing Surfside residents to collapse site
• 8 victims now identified following Surfside building collapse
• 88-year-old Surfside condo survivor remembers those who helped her to safety
• ‘Don’t give up hope,’ local leaders tell families of Surfside missing
• Watch out for Surfside charity scams and price gouging
• Despite warning, town deemed condo building in ‘good shape’
• Mayor: Child alone outside collapse site brings tragedy home
• Who are they? Stories of the victims of Surfside collapse
• What caused Surfside collapse? Engineer offers insight
• ‘I will miss you all my life:’ Father pens beautiful note to late son who died in the Surfside condo collapse
• Memorials grow in Surfside as desperate search for victims continues into fifth day
• Surfside collapse is ‘wake-up call,’ DeSantis says as questions remain about cause of devastating collapse

Coverage on June 27

• State fire marshal provides insight into efforts to locate victims while fighting fire
• Team of national scientists to visit Surfside collapse site
• Teams use sonar devices, lasers to aid in Surfside rescue
• Several families belonging to Miami Beach church remain missing, parishioners gather to pray and hope
• Neighboring residents express concern as investigation into Champlain Towers South collapse continues
• Buses take loved ones of missing Surfside residents to collapse site
• Remembering the dead and missing
• Search-and-rescue teams tunnel through pancaked concrete 3 days after building collapse

Coverage on June 26

• Relative of Surfside building collapse victim lashes out at DeSantis for not ‘doing enough’
• Surfside building collapse: Four out of 5 dead identified; 156 remain unaccounted for
• Missing grandparents’ landline calling from Champlain Towers South condo, family says
• Surfside tower had ‘major structural damage’ — but enough to cause a collapse?
• North Bay Village police chief’s mother has been unaccounted for since Surfside building collapse
• ‘The hope is that there are going to be miracles,’ relative of Surfside building collapse victims says
• Fire burning beneath rubble of collapsed Surfside condo hindering rescue efforts
• Surfside building collapse first responders having difficulty locating victims in massive debris pile
• Miami-Dade Mayor: ‘I’m hopeful this will be the day we have a breakthrough’
• Surfside mayor expresses concern over Champlain South’s identical sister building
• Traffic changes in Surfside area as rescue efforts continue following deadly building collapse

Coverage on June 25

• Champlain Towers South resident survives by climbing through rubble in the dark with her dog
• Teen identified after being pulled from rubble in Surfside, family confirms mother is among those dead
• Man who lives in condo looks out, tells wife ‘My parents’ apartment isn’t there’
• Surfside collapse: Family reunification center moving from community space to hotel
• First lawsuit filed after partial building collapse in Surfside
• Smoke billows out from Champlain Towers South collapse site
• Surfside officials discuss aftermath of building collapse: ‘Terrible tragedy’ to change recertification
• Israel sends help to Surfside’s Jewish community
• Amid anguish after building collapse, memorial, prayer circle help some cope with Surfside tragedy

Coverage on June 24

• Officials fear there will be many casualties after Surfside building ‘pancaked’ during collapse
• Surveillance video captures eerie moments as part of Surfside condo crashes down
• Man says all he saw was ‘white clouds of dust’
• Father remains missing; wife and daughter hospitalized after Surfside building collapse
• Surfside condo that collapsed was going through a recertification process
• After Surfside collapse do you need to worry about your building?
• Officials fear there will be many casualties after Surfside building ‘pancaked’ during collapse
• Geologist warned of instability in Surfside