On January 16 ICE-SAR in South East Iceland found the body of a dead traveller near the abandoned farm Sandfell in Öræfi region. A search of the area had been launched after Park Rangers in Vatnajökull National Park had noticed an abandoned rental car at a parking at the farm. Police has now determined that the man died of exposure and hypothermia after having fallen while climbing in cliffs in the mountain.
Read more: Traveller who was found dead in S.E. Iceland yesterday was a French national
The man was a 27 year old French national who had arrived in Iceland on December 23 and rented a car on December 24. He was last seen in the Skaftafell visitor center in Vatnajökull National Park on December 29. The distance between Skaftafell and Sandfell, where the man was found, is only 12 km (7.5 mi).
Fell while hiking, died of exposure
According to the police the man had climbed Öræfajökull glacier, reaching Hvannadalshnjúkur, the tallest peak in Iceland on December 30. At around 23:00 on the evening of December 30 he was in the foothills of Hvannadalsnjúkur. At that point he had still to walk 8 km (5 mi) in the dark of night over rough glacier and mountainous terrain.
At some point the man seems to have fallen, sustaining some injuries. He was unable to make it to safety or his car, and died of exposure and hypothermia. His body was found in rough terrain and cliffs in the mountains above Sandfell farm.
On January 16 ICE-SAR in South East Iceland found the body of a dead traveller near the abandoned farm Sandfell in Öræfi region. A search of the area had been launched after Park Rangers in Vatnajökull National Park had noticed an abandoned rental car at a parking at the farm. Police has now determined that the man died of exposure and hypothermia after having fallen while climbing in cliffs in the mountain.
Read more: Traveller who was found dead in S.E. Iceland yesterday was a French national
The man was a 27 year old French national who had arrived in Iceland on December 23 and rented a car on December 24. He was last seen in the Skaftafell visitor center in Vatnajökull National Park on December 29. The distance between Skaftafell and Sandfell, where the man was found, is only 12 km (7.5 mi).
Fell while hiking, died of exposure
According to the police the man had climbed Öræfajökull glacier, reaching Hvannadalshnjúkur, the tallest peak in Iceland on December 30. At around 23:00 on the evening of December 30 he was in the foothills of Hvannadalsnjúkur. At that point he had still to walk 8 km (5 mi) in the dark of night over rough glacier and mountainous terrain.
At some point the man seems to have fallen, sustaining some injuries. He was unable to make it to safety or his car, and died of exposure and hypothermia. His body was found in rough terrain and cliffs in the mountains above Sandfell farm.
