An Italian tourist was saved by search and rescue yesterday after becoming stranded in a hut on Fimmvörðuháls mountain ridge while on a hike between Skógar and Þórsmörk. The weather had deteriorated quickly and so the tourist was afraid to continue.
Fimmvörðuháls. Archive photo: Benedikt Jóhannesson/Iceland Review.
The tourist was picked up by a ski-doo team and was taken to another hut where cars were waiting. Two other hikers who were trapped there because of the weather accompanied search and rescue down the ridge, as explained in an ICE-SAR press release.
The regular route up Fimmvörðuháls was extremely muddy, which is why ICE-SAR decided to send four search and rescue team members on ski-doos across Mýrdalsjökull glacier. The trip was scheduled to take two to three hours.
While stuck in the hut on Fimmvörðuháls, the Italian tourist had contacted other travelers he had encountered earlier by sms and they notified the police. At that point, his exact location was unknown.
Later, a message was transmitted by an emergency radio and then the tourist’s whereabouts could be pinpointed.
ICE-SAR would like to remind travelers to always leave their itineraries with a friend, relative or someone else who can respond in case of emergency. A travel plan can be registered on safetravel.is, where travelers can also request to be monitored.
Related:
03.06.2013 | Lost French Hiker Found after 36 Hours
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