LONDON (AP) — On Monday, Icelandic police announced that they had ended the search for anyone who might have been trapped in an ice cave that collapsed the previous day. Tragically, the incident resulted in one death and left another person injured. Authorities confirmed that all members of the tourist group were accounted for.
Initially, a massive rescue operation was launched, involving as many as 200 rescuers who sifted through the icy debris by hand, searching for two individuals initially thought to be missing. However, after reviewing the tour operator’s records, police found that there were only 23 participants on the ice cave tour, not 25 as first reported.
Despite this, rescue teams continued their efforts and inspected the site thoroughly, moving all the collapsed ice to ensure that no one was trapped beneath it. “The police field manager present at the scene confirmed that all the ice believed to have fallen on the participants had been cleared,” stated the police. “It was confirmed that no one was hidden under the ice.”
The rescue efforts began around 3 p.m. local time on Sunday after authorities were informed that an ice cave had collapsed at the Breidamerkurjokull glacier, located in southeastern Iceland. A man unfortunately lost his life at the scene, while a woman was airlifted to a hospital in Reykjavik. Both victims were American citizens, according to police reports.
The search, which had to be paused overnight due to dangerous conditions, resumed early Monday morning at approximately 7 a.m., with Icelandic broadcaster RUV covering the updates. Video footage depicted rescuers working within large craters surrounded by the stark blackened ice characteristic of the Breidamerkurjokull glacier.
By the end of the day, authorities were satisfied that no one else was missing. Police reported there had been “misleading information” regarding the number of people on the tour.
The Association of Icelandic Mountain Guides has called for a comprehensive investigation and stricter regulations concerning ice cave tours. The association warned that glacier trips during warmer summer months can be particularly hazardous.
The tourism agency is preparing a report for the government discussing potential regulations for glacier excursions, especially those involving ice caves. Minister of Tourism Lilja Alfredsdóttir mentioned that this topic would be brought up in parliament soon.
Ice caves are a popular attraction in Iceland, where tour operators offer tourists the chance to “explore the insides of glaciers” and witness the remarkable blue hues and intricate patterns within the ice.
Glaciers encompass about 11% of Iceland, situated in the North Atlantic and just south of the Arctic Circle. The largest glacier, Vatnajokull, spans 7,900 square kilometers (approximately 3,050 square miles). Breidamerkurjokull is a part of Vatnajokull, reaching down to the Jokulsarlon Lagoon, where icebergs regularly break off the glacier.
Operating in the challenging terrain of the glacier posed difficulties for rescue teams, as they needed to transport equipment and personnel over rough ground and utilize chainsaws to cut through the ice.
It’s important to note that the glacier is located about 300 kilometers (185 miles) from a volcano that erupted on Friday on the Reykjanes Peninsula in southwestern Iceland.
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Associated Press Writer Marco Di Marco contributed to this story.
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Keyton reported from Berlin.
