A tragic incident occurred on Sunday when an ice cave partially collapsed on the Breidamerkurjokull glacier in southern Iceland, resulting in the death of one tourist and leaving two others missing. The group, consisting of about 25 foreign tourists from various nationalities, was exploring the ice caves with a guide shortly before 3 p.m. when four individuals were struck by falling ice, according to local police.
One tourist succumbed to their injuries, while another was seriously injured and airlifted to a hospital in the capital. Following the collapse, approximately 200 rescuers launched a search for the two missing individuals. However, the mission was paused after dark due to what local police described as “difficult” conditions. The search was set to resume on Monday morning.
Rescuers faced significant challenges in their efforts to locate the missing individuals following the ice cave collapse on Breidamerkurjokull glacier. According to Icelandic public broadcaster RUV, the rugged glacier terrain made it difficult to transport additional equipment and personnel to the site. As a result, rescuers had to cut through the ice by hand, using chainsaws, to advance their search. Despite these difficulties, the search for the missing tourists remains ongoing.
“Rúnarsson emphasized the expertise of the mountain guides leading the tours, stating, “These are experienced and powerful mountain guides who run these trips. It’s always possible to be unlucky, but I trust these people to assess the situation – to know when it’s safe or not safe to proceed, and good work has been done there over time. This is a living land, so anything can happen.” His comments highlight the unpredictable nature of the environment and the challenges inherent in guiding tours through such dynamic landscapes.”
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