News | Iceland Monitor | Fri 14 Mar 2025 | 9.00 GMT

Video footage and photos from the rescue mission

Dramatic video and photos capture the moment a missing tourist was rescued yesterday by the Ísólfur rescue team in Seyðisfjörður, after being out of contact since Saturday night.

Article on Iceland Monitor

Missing tourist rescued after days in the wilderness

A rescue boat from Ísólfur and Hafbjörg sailed into Loðmundarfjörður in search of the man. After launching a drone, the crew spotted him standing on a rock along the shore, waving for help.

Days in the cold without shelter

Once aboard Hafbjörg, the exhausted tourist was given hot soup and an energy drink to regain strength. Rescuers say he had been on the move since Sunday, enduring freezing nights—where temperatures dropped to at least 2°C—without a sleeping bag or tent.

To survive, he foraged for edible herbs and drank water from natural sources.

Failed attempts to signal for help

The man told rescuers he had repeatedly tried to attract the attention of passing fishing boats by flashing a flashlight but was unsuccessful. However, when he saw the rescue boat approaching Loðmundarfjörður, he felt certain that his ordeal was finally over.

After the rescue, he was transported to Neskaupstaður and taken to Þjóðurðungshospital for medical evaluation.