Rescue efforts ongoing for hiker injured in hot spring incident in Kerlingarfjöll, Iceland

Rescue efforts are ongoing for a hiker who suffered a foot burn after stepping into a hot spring in the Kerlingarfjöll area. Nearly fifty rescue team members have been searching for the individual, and efforts are still underway to transport him via a Coast Guard helicopter. The hiker’s exact location was difficult to pinpoint, as the coordinates obtained from his phone were not precise enough, leading rescue teams to search on foot for about two hours.

Jon Thor Viglundsson, a spokesperson for the rescue organization Landsbjörg, reported that around fifty responders participated alongside the helicopter crew. Rescue teams from various areas, including Laugarvatn, Biskupstungum, and Grímsnes, initially joined the search, with additional teams from Árborg, Hella, and elsewhere in Southern Iceland later adding to the efforts.

Rescue teams were able to treat the hiker by securing him in a stretcher, wrapping him up, and dressing his wounds. According to Jon Thor, the man is in relatively good spirits despite his injuries.

The focus now is to get the hiker to a location where the Coast Guard helicopter can land, but poor visibility in the area poses challenges. Jon Thor noted that rescue personnel may need to carry the man for some distance if the helicopter cannot reach him. If air transport proves impossible, he will be retrieved by rescue vehicles that have recently arrived at the scene.