In southern Iceland, tragedy struck as an ice cave partially collapsed while a group of tourists was visiting the Breiðamerkurjökull glacier. The incident resulted in one fatality, and two individuals remain unaccounted for. According to local police, the accident occurred while about 25 foreign tourists of various nationalities were exploring the ice caves, with four individuals being struck by falling ice.

Emergency services received a distress call shortly before 3 p.m. on Sunday, leading to a swift response. Two of the injured tourists sustained serious injuries, with one tragically succumbing to their wounds at the scene, while the other was airlifted to a hospital in the capital and is reported to be in stable condition.

A significant number of rescuers dedicated their efforts throughout the day and into the evening in search of the missing persons. However, the operation had to be halted after sunset due to the perilous conditions but is scheduled to resume in the morning, as per police authorities. The challenging terrain and the need to manually cut through ice with chain saws reportedly hindered the transportation of equipment and personnel to the glacier, making the rescue mission even more arduous.

Reports from Icelandic public broadcaster RUV and local news outlet Visir indicated that the group was on a guided ice cave tour when the collapse occurred. Although accompanied by a guide, most tourists were outside the cave at the time of the incident. The ice cave, a renowned tourist attraction, draws visitors to its breathtaking yet hazardous beauty.