Vehicle plunges into Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon
Tour Guide Recounts Close Call at Jökulsárlón Glacial Lagoon
A visiting tourist escaped a near-disaster at Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon in Breiðamerkursandur yesterday after her vehicle plunged into the lagoon. According to tour guide Tomas Ragnarsson, who witnessed the incident, the woman stepped out of the vehicle in the fourth hour of the day before it began rolling down a steep hillside.
The incident occurred as follows: "I was with a group, one of whom did not have a watch," said Ragnarsson, a guide from BusTravel Iceland. "We had driven them over to the beach, and I went back to search for the absent member. When I returned, I saw the vehicle, with the woman still inside, heading towards the edge of the lagoon."
Ragnarsson immediately sprang into action, hurling his brand new phone aside and rushing towards the tourist. "She was struggling to free herself from the vehicle as it moved forward, pushing a pole in front of it," he related.
Fortunately, the woman managed to escape before the car entered the lagoon. However, rescuing the vehicle proved challenging as its tires did not grip the sandy shore. Despite his efforts to save the car, Ragnarsson was forced to abandon the mission due to the presence of a group of tourists waiting for his guidance.
He added, "There was a large crowd around them when I discovered that help had already arrived. I assumed the authorities would assist in pulling the car from the lagoon."
The incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of safety precautions when operating motor vehicles in hilly terrain and near bodies of water. While details about specific safety measures were not provided, experts recommend using low gears when descending steep hills, maintaining brake systems, and installing runaway truck ramps and guardrails in critical areas.
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- The close call at Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon highlighted the significance of safety precautions when traveling, especially in hilly terrain and near bodies of water.
- Although the tourist luckily escaped the incident at Jökulsárlón, the car-accident serves as a reminder for general news outlets to emphasize travel safety tips, such as using low gears when descending steep hills and installing runaway truck ramps and guardrails in critical areas.
- Despite the chaos of the travel lifestyle, it is crucial to prioritize safety, especially when visiting places like Iceland's glacial lagoons, where car-accidents can have devastating consequences.
