The French hiker who fell into a river in Sveinsgil canyon yesterday slid down a snow cornice and into the river, reports Morgunblaðið newspaper.
The two men had been well-equipped for the hike and had followed marked trails, says Oddur Árnason, chief superintendent of the South Iceland Police Department. The men were hiking in the Torfajökull region, north of Torfajökull glacier in the central highlands, when the accident happened.
The men needed to cross the river that runs through Sveinsgil canyon but rather than wading across, the men decided to hike up a snow cornice and jump over.
“The surface is extremely slick and the two of them slid down the bank and into the river. One managed to crawl back up but the other was sucked under the cornice and disappeared,” police explained.
The hiker was quickly transferred to a nearby hospital to be treated for hypothermia and minor injuries.
The search for the second hiker continues.
The French hiker who fell into a river in Sveinsgil canyon yesterday slid down a snow cornice and into the river, reports Morgunblaðið newspaper.
The two men had been well-equipped for the hike and had followed marked trails, says Oddur Árnason, chief superintendent of the South Iceland Police Department. The men were hiking in the Torfajökull region, north of Torfajökull glacier in the central highlands, when the accident happened.
The men needed to cross the river that runs through Sveinsgil canyon but rather than wading across, the men decided to hike up a snow cornice and jump over.
“The surface is extremely slick and the two of them slid down the bank and into the river. One managed to crawl back up but the other was sucked under the cornice and disappeared,” police explained.
The hiker was quickly transferred to a nearby hospital to be treated for hypothermia and minor injuries.
The search for the second hiker continues.
