2024-08-26 06:56:02
BERLIN (AP) — At least one person is dead and two are missing after an ice cave partially collapsed while a group of tourists were visiting the Bredamerkur glacier in southern Iceland.
Local police said in a statement posted on social media that rescuers received a call around 3 pm on Sunday when about 25 foreign tourists of different nationalities were exploring the ice cave and four people were hit by the ice.
Two people were seriously injured. One of them died from injuries at the scene of the accident, and the other was taken to the Capital Hospital by helicopter and is currently in stable condition.
A large number of rescue workers worked throughout the afternoon and into the night to search for the two missing people. Police said operations were suspended after dark due to dangerous conditions but resumed in the morning.
Icelandic public broadcaster RUV reports that transporting equipment and personnel to the glacier is difficult due to the rugged terrain, noting that much of the ice is cut by hand using chain saws.
Local news website Visir said the group was on an organized tour of the ice cave and were accompanied by a guide, although most were outside the cave when it collapsed. The ice cave is a famous tourist attraction.
The falling ice may not be related to Friday’s volcanic eruption in southeastern Iceland, about 300 kilometers (185 miles) from the glacier.
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