The Spanish angler is recovering

The Spanish angler has fished in East-Rangá before and is …

The Spanish angler has fished in East-Rangá before and is a seasoned fisherman. mbl.is/Einar Falur

The condition of the angler who had an electric shock while fly fishingin East-Rangá yesterday is considered quite good and much better than was expected yesterday. This information comes from Gunnar Guðjónsson, the head tourist guide in the area.

The man is Spanish and was a part of a 14 men group from Spain that were fishingin the river. At the time of the accident, there were three fishing with him, as well as their local guide. Some of the people of this fishing group have been fishing in East-Rangá for over 20 years and the man who got injured was also used to the river.

Up to 10 metre long fishing rods

According to Guðjónsson the powerlines are approximately 8 metres above the ground over three of nine dedicated fishing areas in the river. The injured man had a fishing rod named Telescope, which can be up to ten metres long.

“He holds it and raises it up.There are no Icelanders who use these kinds of fishing rods, but you can lengthen or shorten them according to where you are fishing,” Guðjónsson says.

The powerlines are East-Rangár will be put in the ground …

The powerlines are East-Rangár will be put in the ground in the next months. mbl.is/Árni Sæberg

This will not happen again

Ased about the response to the accident from the supervisors for the river he says that it is clear that similar accidents need to be prevented, especially when the anglers are using gear of this sort.

He says that anglers are usually aware of the danger of powerlines and they are clearly marked. The Spanish group knew about the dangers. This was simply an accident. “Anglers get a fishing license and fish in a lot of rivers in Iceland, and there are powerlines all over the place. Most Icelanders are aware of the dangers close to the powerlines.”

But in the coming months the powerlines will be put into the ground, and that way this problem will be taken care of.

Have not spoken to the injured man

The police in the southern part of Iceland was investigating the scene yesterday and they have completed their work. Oddur Árnason, the Chief of Police in the South says that the investigation is not over, but is not expecting it to be complicated.

“He simply accidentally hits the powerline with his fishing rod, and there is not a lot to say about that,” he says. The police have not yet interviewed the man and it is not known at this point when they will do that. It will tie in with the man’s recovery from the electric shock and treatment.

Árnason says that he has never heard about a case of this sort in his career.

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