A distress call from Langjökull Glacier

Just after midnight, the Emergency Line received a distress call from Langjökull glacier, near the mountain Klakka. Upon investigation, it was found that two men traveling on snowmobiles had encountered significant trouble.

According to a statement from the Landsbjörg Accident Prevention Association, the men were well-equipped, and their journey had been uneventful until they got stuck. They requested assistance to free their sleds. Rescue teams were dispatched from areas south of Langjökull, as well as from Borgarfjörður. By 3 am, the first rescuers, traveling on sleds, had reached the scene. The operation to free the stuck sleds went smoothly, and the sledders were escorted to a nearby settlement, where they were running low on fuel.

Fishing boat in trouble north of Hornbjarg

A little over an hour later, at 1:15 am, another distress call came in from a fishing boat located just north of Hornbjarg. The boat had suffered an oil leak from its steering system, rendering it uncontrollable. There were four men aboard, but the weather was favorable, and there was no immediate danger.

In response, the patrol ship Þór , stationed in Grundarfjörður, was sent westward, and the crew of the rescue ship Gísli Jóns in Ísafjörður was called out. Both ships departed port shortly after 1:30 am.

By 5 am, Gísli Jóns reached the fishing boat, and a communication line was quickly established between the two vessels. Ten minutes later, the ship set course for Ísafjörður. However, the towing process encountered some challenges. About an hour into the towing operation, one of the towing lines on the fishing boat broke, forcing a temporary halt as the crew made repairs. Thankfully, the repairs were completed swiftly, and by 7:30 am, the vessels were able to resume their journey, moving at a speed of approximately 6 nautical miles (11 km) per hour, heading west just north of Hornvík.

The patrol ship Þór continues its journey north of the Westfjords, monitoring the situation and aiding the towing process. The expected arrival time for both ships in Ísafjörður remains uncertain.