An American traveller drowned on Sunday noon, while snorkeling in Silfra fissure in Þingvellir National Park. The man was snorkeling with a group of foreign travellers when the tragic accident took place. Police in South Iceland say it is still too early to say whether the death was an accident or whether it was caused by an underlying medical condition.
6 serious accidents, 3 deaths since 2010
Two groups, each counting eight people, were snorkeling in the fissure when the accident took place. According to the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service the man seems to have lost consciousness, and was unable to swim to the bank of the fissure with the rest of the group. He was dragged to shore where attempts to resuscitate him began immediately. The coast guard helicopter was called in to fly the man to the National University Hospital in Reykjavík.
Attempts to resuscitate the man at the scene and on the way to Reykjavík were unsuccessful, and the man was pronounced dead when he arrived at the hospital in Reykjavík.
Read more: Foreign traveller rescued after a diving accident in Silfra fissure in Þingvellir National Park
In late December a foreign traveller, a woman who was around 40 years old, was rescued earlier today after she lost consciousness while diving with her husband in Silfra. Six serious accidents have taken place in Silfra since 2010, including three fatal accidents. Each year 50,000 people visit the fissure: 10,000 dive and 40,000 snorkel.
An American traveller drowned on Sunday noon, while snorkeling in Silfra fissure in Þingvellir National Park. The man was snorkeling with a group of foreign travellers when the tragic accident took place. Police in South Iceland say it is still too early to say whether the death was an accident or whether it was caused by an underlying medical condition.
6 serious accidents, 3 deaths since 2010
Two groups, each counting eight people, were snorkeling in the fissure when the accident took place. According to the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service the man seems to have lost consciousness, and was unable to swim to the bank of the fissure with the rest of the group. He was dragged to shore where attempts to resuscitate him began immediately. The coast guard helicopter was called in to fly the man to the National University Hospital in Reykjavík.
Attempts to resuscitate the man at the scene and on the way to Reykjavík were unsuccessful, and the man was pronounced dead when he arrived at the hospital in Reykjavík.
Read more: Foreign traveller rescued after a diving accident in Silfra fissure in Þingvellir National Park
In late December a foreign traveller, a woman who was around 40 years old, was rescued earlier today after she lost consciousness while diving with her husband in Silfra. Six serious accidents have taken place in Silfra since 2010, including three fatal accidents. Each year 50,000 people visit the fissure: 10,000 dive and 40,000 snorkel.
