UPDATE 15:00 Fatal accident in slopes of Mt. Kirkjufell: Foreign traveler fell to his death in sheer cliffs
Members of ICE-SAR mountain rescue battalions from Snæfellsnes peninsula have been dispatched to assist a hiker who suffered a serious accident in the slopes of Mt. Kirjufell earlier today. According to the local news site Vísir the hike appears to have fallen, suffering serious injuries. The authorities have not released any information on the nature of the accident, or the nationality of the hiker, but based on the level of preparedness the accident appears to have been very serious.
Paramedics and local Police patrols have already arrived at the scene. The Coast Guard has put a helicopter on alert to airlift the hiker to Reykjavík.
UPDATE 12:50 A Coast Guard helicopter has arrived at the scene with specialized mountain rescuers. The National Broadcasting Service is reporting that the injured hiker was a foreign national, a male, but his nationality or age have not been released. The man was traveling with a group and was halfway up the mountain when he fell off a sheer cliff.
The dramatic Mt. Kirkjufell is one of the most photographed mountains in Iceland, and has been named as one of the most majestic mountains in the world. It also features prominently in the HBO series Game of Thrones.
The steep hills and sheer cliffs of the 463 m (1519 ft) tall mountain make it challenging to hike. The hike is only recommended for skilled and properly equipped mountaineers and should not be attempted by inexperienced hikers. Several serious hiking accidents have happened in Kirkjufell in recent years, including a fatal accident in July 2017 when a Polish woman who was traveling with her husband and a second couple fell to her death in sheer cliffs in the western slopes of the mountain.
UPDATE 15:00 Fatal accident in slopes of Mt. Kirkjufell: Foreign traveler fell to his death in sheer cliffs
Members of ICE-SAR mountain rescue battalions from Snæfellsnes peninsula have been dispatched to assist a hiker who suffered a serious accident in the slopes of Mt. Kirjufell earlier today. According to the local news site Vísir the hike appears to have fallen, suffering serious injuries. The authorities have not released any information on the nature of the accident, or the nationality of the hiker, but based on the level of preparedness the accident appears to have been very serious.
Paramedics and local Police patrols have already arrived at the scene. The Coast Guard has put a helicopter on alert to airlift the hiker to Reykjavík.
UPDATE 12:50 A Coast Guard helicopter has arrived at the scene with specialized mountain rescuers. The National Broadcasting Service is reporting that the injured hiker was a foreign national, a male, but his nationality or age have not been released. The man was traveling with a group and was halfway up the mountain when he fell off a sheer cliff.
The dramatic Mt. Kirkjufell is one of the most photographed mountains in Iceland, and has been named as one of the most majestic mountains in the world. It also features prominently in the HBO series Game of Thrones.
The steep hills and sheer cliffs of the 463 m (1519 ft) tall mountain make it challenging to hike. The hike is only recommended for skilled and properly equipped mountaineers and should not be attempted by inexperienced hikers. Several serious hiking accidents have happened in Kirkjufell in recent years, including a fatal accident in July 2017 when a Polish woman who was traveling with her husband and a second couple fell to her death in sheer cliffs in the western slopes of the mountain.
