All available rescue teams in the Greater Reykjavík Area, along with other response parties, have been dispatched to Móskarðshnjúkar on the Esja mountain range following an avalanche, RÚV reports. Two individuals are believed to have been hiking on the mountain during the time of the avalanche, according to information from the Reykjavík Police. One man is believed to have been buried beneath the avalanche.
“We’re dispatching all available rescue parties,” Ásgeir Þór Ásgeirsson with the Reykjavík Police stated in an interview with RÚV.
According to Ásgeir, the Reykjavík Police is working to establish on-location control at the Esja mountain range. The Capital District Fire and Rescue Service has also been dispatched. “We’re also relying heavily on rescue teams,” Ásgeir added.
Davíð Már Bjarnason, public relations officer at ICE-SAR, stated that the avalanche had been relatively small, adding that it was not clear whether the avalanche fell close to hiking trails. The avalanche is believed to have fallen near Móskarðshnjúkar, the easternmost summits of the Esja mountain range.
A helicopter from the Icelandic Coast Guard has also been dispatched.
This article was updated at 2.16 pm.
The Esja mountain range is situated about 10 km north of Reykjavík. Esja is a popular recreation area for hikers and climbers.
