Two Ethiopian runners take off during Jerusalem Marathon

JERUSALEM (JTA) — Two Ethiopian runners who traveled to Israel for the Jerusalem Marathon took off during the race in a suspected effort to stay in the country indefinitely.

The two women, Malet Mekonen, 24, and Mahalat Zalika, 25, were seen at the starting line on Friday but did not finish the race. They are believed to have planned their getaway and gone to south Tel Aviv, according to reports.

About 20,000 people participated in the marathon, including 1,750 runners from outside Israel.