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🇮🇸 Iceland /Disasters & Emergencies

Search continues for tourist missing in Iceland's Jökulsá á Brú river

From Morgunblaðið · () Icelandic

Translated from Icelandic, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • A search is ongoing for a tourist believed to have fallen into the Jökulsá á Brú river near Stuðlagil canyon in Iceland.
  • Approximately 100 people, including police, rescue teams, and specialized units, are participating in the extensive search operation.
  • The search will continue until the individual is found, with efforts scaling back at night and resuming at full strength in the morning.

An intensive search operation is underway in Iceland for a tourist who is believed to have fallen into the Jökulsá á Brú river near the popular Stuðlagil canyon. Despite extensive efforts, the individual remains unfound.

The search will continue until the man is found.

— East Iceland PoliceStatement regarding the ongoing search operation.

Authorities have mobilized approximately 100 personnel to conduct the search. The operation involves a coordinated effort from various agencies, including the police, specialized rescue teams from Landsbjörg, the national police special unit, the Coast Guard, the Red Cross, and emergency medical and fire services. Divers from the national police special unit have been deployed to search specific areas.

Nearly 100 people are participating in the operation.

— Jón Þór VíglundssonInformation officer for Landsbjörg, describing the scale of the search.

Search efforts have focused along the riverbanks from the bridge at Klaustursel, with camera drones also surveying the area. Particular attention is being paid to the vicinity of Stuðlagil, where the tourist was last seen. A "sea post" has been set up on the bridge at Klaustursel to monitor the river for any sign of the missing person.

Divers from the national police special unit have arrived on site. They will search several areas.

— Jón Þór VíglundssonDetailing the deployment of specialized search teams.

Specialized swiftwater rescue technicians from the capital region have also arrived to assist. The plan is to continue the search until the person is located. While efforts will be reduced after dark, the operation is set to resume with full force at first light on the following morning. Underwater drones will be used in specific locations, and a net will be placed in the river overnight.

One of the first things people do is set up a sea post on the bridge at Klaustursel so that someone is immediately watching the river if the person drifts down.

— Jón Þór VíglundssonExplaining a specific monitoring measure implemented during the search.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Morgunblaðið in Icelandic. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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