Search teams are still scouring Iceland for two German tourists who went missing near Skaftafell National Park in southern Iceland on August 17th. To date search efforts have failed to locate the two young travellers, partially due to bad weather conditions.
Germans Matthias Hinz and Thomas Grundt made travel plans to go from Reykjavik to the Vatnajökull glacier at the end of July. Their plans indicated a return to the capital on August 12th and they were booked on a return flight to Germany on August 17th. The two young men did not return to Reykjavik and were reported missing when they did not present themselves for boarding.
The Svínafellsjökull and Skaftafellsjökull glaciers, sub-glaciers of the Vatnajökull ice-cap, are considered dangerous areas because of the large crevasses in the ice. Nevertheless a search team of some 40 volunteers hiked the area looking for the missing pair. Unfortunately, the teams were hampered by rain and limited visibility.
The bad weather prevented the Coast Guard helicopter from joining in the full search. In addition, the helicopter was only used for part of the search time as it had to respond to another tourist emergency in the area.
Grundt is a slim 24-year-old man with fair hair and glasses. He is 185 to 188 centimetres tall and is likely to be wearing a purple or bright green jacket. Hinz is a little shorter at 175 centimetres. The 29-year-old has dark blond hair which may be shaved off. He is likely to be wearing an orange jacket with maroon shoulders.
Leader of the Hornafjördur emergency service, Fridrik Jónas Fridriksson, said the young men may have been seen near the Skaftafell. Based on that information, the search teams are concentrating on that area.
“Two men matching their description were seen in the highlands, which we are investigating. We have also been told they may have left the region, but that hasn’t been confirmed,” Fridriksson said.