Reykjavík [Iceland], August 27: The search for missing tourists following the collapse of an ice cave on a glacier in Iceland, which killed one person and injured another, was called off after it was determined that everyone was accounted for.
Police said on Facebook on Monday evening that no more people were trapped under the ice, as only 23 people were on the tour group caught up in the accident, not 25 as previously assumed. Conflicting reports on the number of tourists on the tour group and issues with the registration process forced police to continue the search until it became clear that no more people were trapped under the ice.
The group was visiting the Breiðamerkurjokull glacier as part of a guided tour when the cave collapsed on Sunday.
One man was pronounced dead at the scene, while a woman was taken to hospital in Reykjavík. Both were from the United States. Dozens of rescue workers were deployed, including specialized cave rescuers and two helicopters, broadcaster RÚV reported. A spokeswoman for the authorities said that the conditions at the scene of the accident were extremely difficult.
Breiðamerkurjokull, located in the south-east of the country, is a glacial tongue that extends from the Vatnajokull ice cap into the glacier lagoon Jokulsarlon.
The lake, with its floating icebergs, is one of Iceland's major tourist attractions and has been used as a filming location for James Bond films A View to a Kill and Die Another Day and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider. The region offers numerous opportunities for hiking through ice caves. (DPA)
Source: Qatar Tribune