South Iceland Police believe a body found yesterday is that of Nika Begadze, a Georgian asylum seeker who fell into Gullfoss waterfall earlier this summer, RÚV reports. The body was found by Icelandic Coast Guard helicopters and volunteers from the Icelandic Association for Search and Rescue yesterday on the eastern bank of Hvitá river, below Brúarhlöð canyon.
The body has been transported to the Forensic Pathology Laboratory of the University of Iceland for research. An autopsy will be performed and the Committee of the National Commissioner of Icelandic Police will work with a medical examiner to identify the body. South Iceland Police stated in a post on their Facebook page they believe there is a strong likelihood the body is that of Nika Begadze. Begadze lived in Reykjanesbær, Southwest Iceland, and had asylum seeker status.
Begadze fell into Gullfoss waterfall on Wednesday, July 19th. Witnesses informed police they had seen a man in Hvítá river by the waterfall. A large team of search and rescue volunteers was engaged, including Icelandic Coast Guard helicopters and ambulances. The search lasted three days and was then postponed. Intermitted searches had taken place, such as yesterday’s search which recovered the body.
