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One Tourist Killed after Ice Cave Collapses in Iceland; Two Missing

2006 file photo of the Blue Lagoon spa in Iceland via The AP
2006 file photo of the Blue Lagoon spa in Iceland via The AP
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One Tourist Killed after Ice Cave Collapses in Iceland; Two Missing

2006 file photo of the Blue Lagoon spa in Iceland via The AP
2006 file photo of the Blue Lagoon spa in Iceland via The AP

One person was killed and two were missing after an ice cave in Iceland collapsed on Sunday while it was being explored by tourists, authorities said on Monday.

The victims were part of a 25-member group from several countries who were in the natural cave, located under a glacier, when the incident occurred, Reuters reported.

One person was declared dead soon after the incident, while rescue teams conducted an extensive and difficult search for two individuals believed to be trapped under the ice, police said in a statement.

"It's difficult to get equipment to the area, the rescue missions are therefore mainly done by hand, digging and breaking the ice," chief of police for the Southern region, Sveinn Kristjan Runarsson, told broadcaster Stod 2.

One person was injured and taken to hospital in stable condition, police said.

The nationalities of those involved were not immediately disclosed.

The incident took place on Breidamerkurjokull in southern Iceland, part of Western Europe's largest glacier Vatnajokul.

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Madeira Wildfire Brought under Control after 11 Days

Smoke rises as a wildfire burns at Curral das Freiras, Madeira, Portugal August 17, 2024, in this screen grab obtained from a social media video. netmadeira.com/via REUTERS /File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
Smoke rises as a wildfire burns at Curral das Freiras, Madeira, Portugal August 17, 2024, in this screen grab obtained from a social media video. netmadeira.com/via REUTERS /File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
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Madeira Wildfire Brought under Control after 11 Days

Smoke rises as a wildfire burns at Curral das Freiras, Madeira, Portugal August 17, 2024, in this screen grab obtained from a social media video. netmadeira.com/via REUTERS /File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
Smoke rises as a wildfire burns at Curral das Freiras, Madeira, Portugal August 17, 2024, in this screen grab obtained from a social media video. netmadeira.com/via REUTERS /File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights

Firefighters have brought under control a large forest fire in the Portuguese island of Madeira that had been burning for 11 days, but authorities said on Sunday they would remain on the ground to stop it flaring up again.

The blaze, which started on Aug. 14, has burnt more than 5,000 hectares (12,000 acres) of vegetation, mostly in mountainous areas where the slopes are steep and the access is often difficult, Reuters reported.

"The fire has now been brought under control, but cannot yet be considered extinguished so the teams will remain vigilant on the ground to prevent possible reignitions," regional civil protection commander Antonio Nunes told news agency Lusa.

Attempts to fight the flames have been hampered by adverse weather conditions, including high temperatures, strong winds and low humidity.

EU authorities provided two Canadair planes to help put out the blaze. The regional government said there had been no injuries, no houses torched and no essential infrastructure destroyed.

The Atlantic island of Madeira is an autonomous region of Portugal with around 250,000 residents and is a popular tourist destination.

Rising global temperatures due to climate change have led to more frequent wildfires, from southern and eastern Europe to North America and parts of Asia.