One person was killed and two are missing after the partial collapse of an ice cave in Iceland. These images show the rescue attempt after the deadly collapse on Sunday.
REYKJAVIK, Iceland – One person is dead, and two people remain missing after an ice cave at the Breidamerkurjokull glacier in southern Iceland partially collapsed on Sunday.
This image shows the response after a partial ice cave collapse in Iceland on Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024.
(Stod2/Vilhelm Gunnarsson)
According to local police, a group of about 25 foreign tourists were on a planned tour of an ice cave at Breidamerkurjokull glacier when it suddenly collapsed around 3 p.m. local time on Sunday.
Police said in a Facebook post that four people were hit with falling ice, killing one person at the scene and seriously injuring another.
That person was airlifted to a hospital in the Icelandic capital of Reykjavik and has been listed in stable condition.
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Dozens of rescuers raced to the scene and began to search for two people who were thought to have been trapped under the fallen ice.
That search was paused Sunday night after rescuers faced what local police described as “difficult” conditions, as well darkness after the sun set.
According to Iceland public broadcaster RUV, the search for those who remain missing resumed on Monday morning. RUV also reported that machines cannot be used during the search, and rescuers were searching for the missing tourists by hand.
The Icelandic Meteorological Office is monitoring the latest eruption around the Sundhnúkur volcano. Since around the start of the year, there have been at least six similar episodes of a fissure opening, releasing lava.
The search is underway as first responders are keeping their eyes on a volcano in southwestern Iceland that erupted for the sixth time since the end of 2023 last week.
The latest eruption took place outside the seaside town of Grindivik, which has largely been deserted since earthquake activity skyrocketed and fears grew that a volcanic eruption was imminent in 2023.
Some information was translated into English via Google Translate