Ramsgate: Tributes paid to Israeli father and daughter killed in crash

Tributes have been paid to an Israeli man and his daughter who were killed in a suspected hit-and-run crash.

Noga Sella, 37, and her father Yoram Hirshfeld, 81, died when they were hit by a car outside a multi-storey car park in Ramsgate, Kent, on Wednesday.

Her six-year-old daughter is in a serious condition in hospital. Her eight-year-old son and her husband were also injured.

An ex-student of lecturer Mr Hirshfeld described him as a "special" man.

The five family members were hit by a black Alfa Romeo on the pavement in Leopold Street after leaving a restaurant.

Mrs Sella, a Cambridge physicist, and Mr Hirshfeld died at the scene.

Her 40-year-old husband and son were injured and "evacuated in moderate condition," an Israeli government spokesman said.

Amnon Eden, from Colchester, Essex, reflected fondly on the first time he met mathematics lecturer Mr Hirshfeld at Tel Aviv University in Israel.

He said: "His teaching was legendary. He knew how to explain complex math at the highest order in a way that even I, not a mathematician, and dyslexic to boot, could understand."

Oded Sharon, a former university friend of Ms Sella, said: "We shared a sense of humour and bonded over geeky things like Star Trek. Noga was one of the kindest, smartest, rare kind of good people I knew."

Mrs Sella was a Girl Guides leader in Cambridgeshire with 2nd Milton Guides and Milton Rangers.

On Facebook, Girlguiding Cambridgeshire East said: "Please keep her family and friends in your thoughts and prayers at this time."

A spokesperson for the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the family came from the town of Rosh Pina.

He said they were "in regular contact with the family in Israel and assisting them in their difficult time".

"At the same time, the Israeli Consulate in London is in contact with the family members there and helping them as much as possible."

The organisation ZAKA assists the Israeli government on the identification and repatriation of its citizens abroad.

Its spokesperson Yossi Landau said: "The 78-year-old had come to visit his daughter and her family who live in England.

"They left a restaurant and a vehicle swerved off the road and hit them on the pavement."

"We are working to release the dead for burial."

A 30-year-old man from Ramsgate has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and leaving the scene of a crash.

He has been receiving hospital treatment for minor injuries.

A minute's silence was held at the scene of the crash on Thursday evening. About 100 people gathered at the vigil where candles were lit and prayers said.

Kent Police is appealing for witnesses, local businesses with CCTV footage and drivers with dashcam footage to come forward.

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