Rescue teams in South Iceland were called out twice yesterday afternoon. A car with four passengers got stuck in Skyndidalsá river, east of Vatnajökull glacier. The people got out of the car, but hesitated to wade to the river bank, because of the strong current. In waist-high water, they hung on to the vehicle for 40 minutes until help arrived. Rescue workers helped them reach the river bank and were able to pull the car out of the river.
Simultaneoulsy, assistance was requested for tourists who were trapped in the cliffs above Reynisfjara beach. The surf was strong on the beach, making rescue efforts difficult. The Icelandic Coast Guard helicopter was called out to help, but that request was later cancelled, since the tourists managed to safely get down from the cliffs.
