About 300 investigators worked around the clock to trace Mali and Liel Yahalomi, who police say bought replacement phones and planned their disappearance over personal financial circumstances; the two were found on a bus in South America and released after no crime was suspectedLiran Tamari| Related TopicsA senior Israeli police official said overnight Saturday that Mali and Liel Yahalomi apparently sought to create the false impression that they were still in Vienna, filming videos there for their family but sending them only after they had already continued to another country.Mali and Liel Yahalomi (Photo: Israel Police)According to the senior police official, investigators concluded at an early stage that the disappearance appeared to have been planned in advance. Because the motive was initially unclear, police launched a large-scale investigation to determine what was behind it. Police Commissioner Danny Levy ordered several command centers established around the world as part of the search and investigative effort.Investigators determined that the two apparently landed first in Czechia, where, according to the police official, mobile phones can be purchased without presenting a passport. From there, they are believed to have traveled to Vienna, a major transportation hub offering connections to numerous other countries. The women’s phone was last detected near a train station in Vienna.Mali and Liel identified on the bus (Video: Israel Police)Police now suspect that Mali and Liel recorded videos intended for their family while they were in the Austrian capital but deliberately waited to send them until after they had crossed into another country. According to the official, the apparent purpose was to make relatives and investigators believe they remained in Vienna.Investigators subsequently traced their route to Argentina. From there, the two boarded public transportation and continued toward another destination that police said could not currently be disclosed.After a weeklong search, the women were ultimately located aboard a bus in South America. The investigation also found that they had purchased replacement phones and devised a plan to disappear due to personal circumstances involving money.After being questioned, both women were released because police found no suspicion that a criminal offense had been committed. “The two left of their own free will,” a police official said. “The police representative verified that their lives were not in danger, that they were not under threat and that they could continue on their way.”Comments