American killed, another injured as Iceland ice cave search called off

Police initially thought two people were still missing in area of incident but now say that all 23 have been accounted for

Icelandic police have called off rescue efforts after a glacier partially collapsed during a tourist outing on Sunday, killing one American and injuring another.

Rescuers responded to the incident at the Breiðamerkurjökull glacier just after noon upon receiving reports that a hiking group in the area requested help. They found a male dead at the scene and a female was taken to hospital by a Coast Guard helicopter where they remained in stable condition,

The victims, who have not yet been named, are believed to be a couple.

Officials had believed 25 people were traveling in the area and that two remained missing, but on Monday realized that the numbers were inaccurate and that everyone was accounted for.

After the cave collapse authorities requested all available emergency personnel, about 200 people from the country’s southern and capital regions, respond to the scene, along with the Coast Guard helicopter squad, as officials worked to construct a rescue plan.

The terrain in the area complicated the search. Officers had to largely work by moving the ice by hand or using chainsaws and ice picks. One person who visited the cave shortly before the incident described it as being between three and five meters deep. Einar Rúnar Sigurðsson said he was one of the first emergency responders at the scene.

In a Facebook post, he said that “the tons of ice that fell is overwhelming.”

Rescue teams at the scene after an ice cave partially collapsed, at the Breidamerkurjokull glacier, in southeastern Iceland, Monday, Aug, 26, 2024. (AP)

“The police in the South would like to thank all the responders involved in the search and rescue operation,” Iceland’s law enforcement agency said on social media. “It shows and proves in projects like this that we have powerful and solution-oriented people to be in charge when there is danger.”

An investigation into the incident remains ongoing.

The tour group included people of different nationalities who were exploring ice caves when the accident happened.

Breiðamerkurjökull is one of the country’s most popular tourist attractions and is the largest glacier in Europe. It’s known for its crystal blue ice caves formed from the sheet of the glacier.

In 2019, a similar incident took place when part of the glacier broke off, generating a large wave at Vatnajökull National Park near tourists. The excursion group was forced to run to higher ground for safety as the wave came toward them.