Silfra fissure

British teenager to take the plunge in Iceland

A 13-year-old girl from the UK is to become the youngest person to dive between the tectonic plates separating Europe from North America.

Charlotte Hill, from Kent in southern England, was given the green light from the Icelandic government to dive the Silfra fissure, which is widely considered as one of the most beautiful diving locations in the world due to the clarity of the fresh water.

Normally divers must be 18 years old before they can take the plunge at the Thingvellir National Park but Charlotte, who became the world’s youngest junior master scuba diver when she became part of the Professional Association of Diving Instructors at just 12 years old, finally had her request accepted after pushing for it for eight months.

The teenager, who plans to do the dive in September, said she was excited about venturing into the 200ft-deep fissure as she began learning about tectonic plates when she was 11 and has since been intrigued by them. She went on to say that it was rare that two plates such as these did not collide, so being able to dive between them, put her arms out and touch both continents would be amazing.