One Dead, Two Missing After Ice Cave Collapses in Iceland

One person has died, and two others are missing after an ice cave partially collapsed during a guided tour to a glacier in southern Iceland on Sunday. The incident occurred at the Breidamerkurjokull ice cave that a group of 25 tourists was visiting when one of the ice walls gave way.
Authorities reported that two individuals were seriously injured. One of the rescued tourists succumbed to injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene, while another was airlifted to Landspítalinn, the National University Hospital in Reykjavik.
“The search continues for the two individuals trapped in the ice cave,” stated the Sudurland police.
A large-scale search and rescue operation is currently underway, involving over 150 people and three helicopters from the Icelandic Coast Guard and the Danish Navy. The rugged terrain has made the process of transporting equipment and personnel challenging, according to Icelandic broadcasts.
“Although we believe we know the location of the two missing individuals, it’s difficult to determine how much ice separates them from the rescuers,” said Jón Þór Víglundsson, a spokesperson for ICE-SAR, a volunteer search-and-rescue association, the New York Times reported.
Breidamerkurjokull is a piedmont glacier that forms part of the larger Vatnajökull glacier, situated within Vatnajökull National Park, one of Europe’s largest protected areas.
Officials noted that the partial collapse of the ice cave is likely unrelated to the volcanic eruption that occurred on Friday, nearly 300 kilometers away.