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Pompano Beach woman dies in Israel while studying with FSU

A 20-year-old Pompano Beach woman has died while visiting Israel with the International Programs division of Florida State University.

Student Briana McHam was visiting Masada, an ancient fortification in the Southern District of Israel atop an isolated rock plateau overlooking the Dead Sea on the eastern edge of the Judean Desert, an FSU statement said.

After visiting Masada on Tuesday, three students decided to walk down to the bottom of the fortification. Two completed the walk without incident, but McHam was found deceased, the school said.

The Israeli news agency Haaretz reported that McHam "fell from a height of more than 25 feet and suffered from dehydration due to the severe heat.