A foreign tourist died in southern Iceland after visiting a glacier with a group and the ice broke, local media reported. Another tourist was injured and taken to hospital, but his life is not in danger. Two other hikers are missing.
Due to the difficult conditions, rescuers suspended the search for the missing people in the Bredamerkurjokull glacier until the morning. The group of 25 people were visiting the ice cave with a guide on Sunday when the ice broke beneath them. Rescue service personnel tried to search for the missing people and rescue them manually, A reported. BBC.
First responders received a call about the incident shortly before 3:00 p.m. Icelandic time on Sunday. “The conditions on the ground are very difficult,” he added. Sven Christian Runarsson Local police chief.
It's inside the glacier. It's hard to get equipment there… It's a bad situation. Everything is done by hand.
– Runarsson's favorite.
Icelandic newspapers reported that 200 people were working on the rescue operation at one time on Sunday. Chief Inspector Runarsson said on Icelandic television that police had not been able to contact the two missing people. He said the conditions were “difficult” but the weather was “fair”. He confirmed that all those involved were foreign tourists and said there was no indication that they should not have been on the trip to the cave. “Ice cave tours are held almost all year round,” he added.
“These tours are led by strong, experienced mountain guides. We can always be unlucky. I trust these people’s ability to assess the situation – when it’s safe to go and when it’s not, and they’ve done a good job over time. The land lives here, so anything can happen.”
According to the police chief, the hikers were standing in a gap between the mouths of the cave when an ice wall collapsed.
