A woman involved in an accident while climbing Esja on Sunday afternoon died of her injuries yesterday. RÚV reports that Birna Steingrímsdóttir, 58, was climbing Reykjavík’s landmark mountain in a group of 30 when rough weather set in and she fell 200 meters while the group hiked toward the mountain’s Hátindur peak.
When ICE-SAR, the Icelandic Association of Search and Rescue, was called to the scene on Sunday afternoon it took six hours to remove Steingrímsdóttir from the mountain, after which time she was transported to hospital where she succumbed to her injuries on Monday.
Dangerous weather conditions can set in very rapidly in Iceland at all times of year and all hikers or seekers of other adventures are instructed to be cautious when out in nature. ICE-SAR recommends that those venturing into nature first register their itinerary with the association at their offices on Skógarhlíð to expedite search and rescue procedures should an emergency arise.