More than fifty members of Search and Rescue teams in South Iceland participated in a search for a couple of French hikers who were believed to have gone missing yesterday evening on Fimmvörðuháls hiking trail. A coast guard helicopter also participated in the search which began yesterday evening and came to an end early this morning when the people were discovered safe and sound in a hiking cabin to the north of the trail where the search had focused.
A needless search and rescue operation
Fimmvörðuháls hiking trail is one of the most popular highland hiking trails in Iceland. Running between Eyjafjallajökull and Mýrdalsjökull glaciers it connects Skógar waterfall and Þórsmörk nature reserve. The two French hikers, identified as Marion Gailard and Jérémy Gautheret, had left a travel plan with Safe Travel with ICE-SAR – as hikers are encouraged to do – indicating that they would arrive in Básar cabin in Þórsmörk nature reserve on Sunday July 30.
When the people had not report in at Básar on Monday ICE-SAR mobilized a search for the couple, presuming them lost or in distress along the hiking trail. According to a statement from the Police in South Iceland the people were found safe in a hiking cabin north of Þórsmörk.
The Icelandic National Broadcasting Service reports that the couple had simply failed to let anyone know their hike was progressing according to plan and that they were safe.
A force of volunteers, funded by donations
ICE-SAR is not a government organization, but an all volunteer force, funded by donations. The members of ICE-SAR are all volunteers, regular local people who take time off from their jobs or daily lives to help people in distress. ICE-SAR is funded entirely by donations from locals as well as from some travellers. Hikers who have been rescued by ICE-SAR frequently express their gratitude by donating.
ICE-SAR does not charge for assistance where travellers are in genuine distress, although people can expect to pay for operations which are little more than road assistance.
Travellers should never hesitate to contact ICE-SAR if they are in distress, but they should also treat the time and effort of the volunteer rescue forces with respect and avoid launching unnecessary rescue operations.
More than fifty members of Search and Rescue teams in South Iceland participated in a search for a couple of French hikers who were believed to have gone missing yesterday evening on Fimmvörðuháls hiking trail. A coast guard helicopter also participated in the search which began yesterday evening and came to an end early this morning when the people were discovered safe and sound in a hiking cabin to the north of the trail where the search had focused.
A needless search and rescue operation
Fimmvörðuháls hiking trail is one of the most popular highland hiking trails in Iceland. Running between Eyjafjallajökull and Mýrdalsjökull glaciers it connects Skógar waterfall and Þórsmörk nature reserve. The two French hikers, identified as Marion Gailard and Jérémy Gautheret, had left a travel plan with Safe Travel with ICE-SAR – as hikers are encouraged to do – indicating that they would arrive in Básar cabin in Þórsmörk nature reserve on Sunday July 30.
When the people had not report in at Básar on Monday ICE-SAR mobilized a search for the couple, presuming them lost or in distress along the hiking trail. According to a statement from the Police in South Iceland the people were found safe in a hiking cabin north of Þórsmörk.
The Icelandic National Broadcasting Service reports that the couple had simply failed to let anyone know their hike was progressing according to plan and that they were safe.
A force of volunteers, funded by donations
ICE-SAR is not a government organization, but an all volunteer force, funded by donations. The members of ICE-SAR are all volunteers, regular local people who take time off from their jobs or daily lives to help people in distress. ICE-SAR is funded entirely by donations from locals as well as from some travellers. Hikers who have been rescued by ICE-SAR frequently express their gratitude by donating.
ICE-SAR does not charge for assistance where travellers are in genuine distress, although people can expect to pay for operations which are little more than road assistance.
Travellers should never hesitate to contact ICE-SAR if they are in distress, but they should also treat the time and effort of the volunteer rescue forces with respect and avoid launching unnecessary rescue operations.
