Reynisfjara Black Beach.
Morgunblaðið/Sigurður Bogi
A fatal accident occurred at Reynisfjara Black Beach on Saturday. The Icelandic Coast Guard received notification of the incident shortly before 3 p.m., and shortly afterward, one of its helicopters was airborne to search for the girl. At 4:54 p.m., the police issued a statement reporting that the girl had been found by the helicopter.
The girl was nine years old and from Germany. She entered the sea along with her father and sister, but they managed to make it back to shore, while rescue teams attempted to save the girl.
Landowners to hold meeting about Reynisfjara Black Beach
According to one of the landowners, the landowners of Reynisfjara will hold a meeting tomorrow. The fatal accident happened on Saturday when a young girl entered the sea.
“We will discuss the situation and look at what can be done,” said Ragnar Sigurður Indriðason, a landowner who lives closer to the beach than most. He says some tourists react badly to safety instructions.
“It’s absolutely terrible when something like this happens—just dreadful,” said Indriðason about the accident. Several fatal incidents have occurred on the beach, which is extremely popular among foreign tourists.
Some tourists teact poorly to instructions
“Some people just don’t want to be told what to do. Although the majority follow instructions, there’s a portion that’s stubborn and simply refuses to stay off the lower beach,” said Indriðason.
“I’ve tried pointing out the dangers to people but have received awful responses and unpleasant behavior. One can hardly be expected to put up with this—even the police give up,” he said.
“They’ve kept watch here after previous accidents. They’ve told me it’s incredibly difficult to deal with people and stop them,” said the landowner.
“It would be an enormous burden on anyone who tried to act as a guard there—not just anyone would be willing to take that on,” said Indriðason. He added that currently, no one is stationed at the beach to guide visitors, though signs and a lighting system are in place to inform people of the danger posed by the waves.
Accidents don’t deter tourists
He says that accidents like this do not deter tourists—in fact, the opposite seems true. The beach’s popularity does not decline after an incident.
“This beach wasn’t developed by the landowners; it promoted itself and is arguably the most scenic beach in the country,” said Indriðason. The beach is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Iceland.
“The other day, the parking lot was closed due to a film project, but people still walked all the way from the church. They wouldn’t be stopped,” said Indriðason.