An extensive search and rescue operation has been ongoing in North Iceland since last night. Members of ICE-SAR were called out to assist seven people, thereof two children, who were traveling on three jeeps northeast of Laugafell in the highlands above Eyjafjörður.
According to the police in Akureyri, the people, all of whom are Icelandic, have been stranded since midnight. One of the jeeps broke down and the other two were stuck, one of which was about to run out of fuel, mbl.is reports.
A Coast Guard helicopter, which happened to be in North Iceland, was called out to fly the children, who are three and nine years old, to safety, but the visibility was too poor.
Two search and rescue vehicles made it to Sölvadalur, the innermost part of Eyjafjörður, when one of them broke down. A snowmobile was then sent in their direction through Öxnadalur and Kaldbaksdalur, and is making good progress.
The snowmobile is expected to reach the people in about one hour. Three search and rescue vehicles are also heading their way through Bárðardalur. Their exact location is known but as the mobile phone connection is poor, their current condition is unknown.
