Members of four different ICE-SAR companies were called to assist a woman who had found herself in distress in the cliffs of mt Ingólfsfjall in South Iceland. The hiker, who has been identified as a foreign national traveling in the region, had reached the top of a rocky gully in the mountain when she called for help.
Large rescue operation
ICE-SAR received the distress call shortly before six in the afternoon. The woman was unable to give rescuers her precise location, but was able to describe her surroundings and general location. Teams from the nearby towns of Selfoss, Hveragerði, Þorlákshöfn and Eyrarbakki were sent to search for the woman and help her get to safety. 20 ICE-SAR members, including specialized mountaineering teams participated in the operation.
According to the local newspaper Morgunblaðið it took 40 minutes to find the woman who had climbed up the steep scree in the mountain side to reach the cliffs near the top of the mountain. She had attempted to hike a step and rocky gully to reach the top, but at the top of the gully she discovered she was at an impasse and was unable to continue or return to trace her steps back down the mountain.
The woman was escorted down from the mountain and taken to the hospital in Selfoss where her condition was checked before she was released.
Don't overestimate your hiking skills
We at Iceland Insider would like to remind readers NOT to embark on hikes without proper equipment and experience. Do not underestimate the difficulty of steep screes and cliffs. Travelers who do not have experience in hiking in Iceland or mountainous terrain should stay on marked paths. Hikers should also always carry a device with a GPS tracker in case assistance is needed.
Members of four different ICE-SAR companies were called to assist a woman who had found herself in distress in the cliffs of mt Ingólfsfjall in South Iceland. The hiker, who has been identified as a foreign national traveling in the region, had reached the top of a rocky gully in the mountain when she called for help.
Large rescue operation
ICE-SAR received the distress call shortly before six in the afternoon. The woman was unable to give rescuers her precise location, but was able to describe her surroundings and general location. Teams from the nearby towns of Selfoss, Hveragerði, Þorlákshöfn and Eyrarbakki were sent to search for the woman and help her get to safety. 20 ICE-SAR members, including specialized mountaineering teams participated in the operation.
According to the local newspaper Morgunblaðið it took 40 minutes to find the woman who had climbed up the steep scree in the mountain side to reach the cliffs near the top of the mountain. She had attempted to hike a step and rocky gully to reach the top, but at the top of the gully she discovered she was at an impasse and was unable to continue or return to trace her steps back down the mountain.
The woman was escorted down from the mountain and taken to the hospital in Selfoss where her condition was checked before she was released.
Don't overestimate your hiking skills
We at Iceland Insider would like to remind readers NOT to embark on hikes without proper equipment and experience. Do not underestimate the difficulty of steep screes and cliffs. Travelers who do not have experience in hiking in Iceland or mountainous terrain should stay on marked paths. Hikers should also always carry a device with a GPS tracker in case assistance is needed.
