After two weeks of searching, missing Israeli-American woman found dead in Montana river

After nearly two weeks of intensive searching, the body of Danit Erlich, a 33-year-old Israeli-American woman from Colorado, has been found in Missoula, Montana. According to local reports, Erlich disappeared after stopping near the Clark Fork River with her dog, Bamba, during a cross-country trip to Washington for a new job.

Authorities suspect that Erlich and her dog tragically drowned, though the exact circumstances remain unclear.

Community efforts to locate her had been underway since she was first reported missing. Flyers circulated by the local Jewish community in Missoula noted that her car and phone were discovered shortly after her disappearance. "She vanished from a dog park along the river. One theory is that she may have tried to rescue her dog after it fell through the ice," representatives from Missoula’s Chabad House told Israeli channel 12.

Cold temperatures and icy conditions in the area had raised concerns about her safety. Personal belongings were found near Jacobs Island Dog Park, where she was last believed to have been.

On Sunday, the Missoula Police Department confirmed that a woman’s body had been recovered from the river’s edge near a bridge. Firefighters assisted law enforcement in retrieving the remains. A preliminary examination confirmed the body belonged to Erlich, according to a statement from the sheriff’s office.

Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances of her death.