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Environmental activists take part in “The Dead Sea Swim Challenge”, swimming from the Jordanian to Israeli shore, to draw attention to the ecological threats facing the Dead Sea, in Kibbutz Ein Gedi, Israel November 15, 2016. Athletes and eco-activists swam across the Dead Sea on Tuesday, the first people to thrash their way over a body of water so salty that it poisons anyone who drinks it. The swimmers crossed from Jordan to Israel to raise awareness of what they said was an environmental disaster that has shrunk the inland lake's surface by a third in 30 years. The wore snorkels and face masks to stop the water – around 10 times saltier than the regular sea – from touching their eyes or entering their lungs during the seven-hour crawl. A medical team accompanied the 28 swimmers, because ingestion of Dead Sea water can be fatal if not treated immediately, organizers said. The sea which is mentioned in the Bible sits at the lowest point on Earth. The Dead Sea, about 425 meters (1,400 feet) below sea level, is bordered by Israel, Jordan and the occupied West Bank. Many visitors came for the therapeutic properties associated with its mineral-rich waters, and resort hotels have been built along the Israeli and Jordanian shores. (Photo by Nir Elias/Reuters)
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