Police in South Iceland have revealed the identity of the man who disappeared after falling into Gullfoss waterfall on Wednesday afternoon. The man was a 22 year old Georgian refugee who had arrived in Iceland some time ago. The man was unmarried and had no children. The man has not yet been found, and the search has been scaled down significantly as rescuers have given up any hope of finding the man alive. The incidence is being investigated as an accident.
Unlikely to have survived the fall
Shortly before five on Wednesday afternoon visitors at two different viewing decks by Gullfoss waterfall saw a man fall down steep cliffs into the river a short distance upstream from the waterfall. The man was later seen in the river above the upper drop of the waterfall, and then shortly thereafter above the lower drop. Police and ICE-SAR units which have been searching for the man since Wednesday believe it is impossible that he would have survived the plunge.
Read more: Massive search underway for man who fell in Gullfoss waterfall
His body has not yet been found. Hvítá river is a deep and powerful glacial river, and according to an announcement from the Police in South Iceland experience shows it is possible the body will never be recovered from the river.
Cause of accident unknown
At first nothing was known about the identity of the man, but by Wednesday evening police had identified a car in the parking lot by the waterfall which was believed to be connected to the missing man. An investigation of the car and interviews with the owner of the car and people connected to the owner led police to suspect the 22 year old Georgian man had been driving the car. Photographs from surveillance videos at the waterfall then allowed Police to identify the man.
The man's family has been notified of his death. The cause of the accident is unknown, but a few days ago the Icelandic Directorate of Immigration reclassified Georgia as a safe country, meaning refugees from Georgia will, as a rule, be sent back home.
Police in South Iceland have appealed to anyone who might have seen the man at Gullfoss on the day of the accident on Wednesday to come forward with any information which might shed light on his state of mind or the last moments leading up to his fall into the river. People can send messages to the Police in South Iceland by email: [email protected]
Police in South Iceland have revealed the identity of the man who disappeared after falling into Gullfoss waterfall on Wednesday afternoon. The man was a 22 year old Georgian refugee who had arrived in Iceland some time ago. The man was unmarried and had no children. The man has not yet been found, and the search has been scaled down significantly as rescuers have given up any hope of finding the man alive. The incidence is being investigated as an accident.
Unlikely to have survived the fall
Shortly before five on Wednesday afternoon visitors at two different viewing decks by Gullfoss waterfall saw a man fall down steep cliffs into the river a short distance upstream from the waterfall. The man was later seen in the river above the upper drop of the waterfall, and then shortly thereafter above the lower drop. Police and ICE-SAR units which have been searching for the man since Wednesday believe it is impossible that he would have survived the plunge.
Read more: Massive search underway for man who fell in Gullfoss waterfall
His body has not yet been found. Hvítá river is a deep and powerful glacial river, and according to an announcement from the Police in South Iceland experience shows it is possible the body will never be recovered from the river.
Cause of accident unknown
At first nothing was known about the identity of the man, but by Wednesday evening police had identified a car in the parking lot by the waterfall which was believed to be connected to the missing man. An investigation of the car and interviews with the owner of the car and people connected to the owner led police to suspect the 22 year old Georgian man had been driving the car. Photographs from surveillance videos at the waterfall then allowed Police to identify the man.
The man's family has been notified of his death. The cause of the accident is unknown, but a few days ago the Icelandic Directorate of Immigration reclassified Georgia as a safe country, meaning refugees from Georgia will, as a rule, be sent back home.
Police in South Iceland have appealed to anyone who might have seen the man at Gullfoss on the day of the accident on Wednesday to come forward with any information which might shed light on his state of mind or the last moments leading up to his fall into the river. People can send messages to the Police in South Iceland by email: [email protected]
