A Taiwanese tourist died in a snowmobile accident on Langjökull glacier yesterday. The man, who was in his sixties, lost control of the snowmobile he was driving.
His wife was a passenger, sitting behind him, and suffered some injuries, amongst them a broken ankle. They were part of a group of 29 people on an organized glacier tour by an Icelandic tour operator.
A helicopter from the Coast Guard arrived about an hour after the accident was reported but the man was pronounced dead at the scene and his wife taken to hospital.
Police are investigating the accident and have impounded the snowmobile for inspection, but confirmed with visir.is that the couple was wearing required safety gear when the accident occurred.
Witnesses told visir.is that the man who died had suddenly driven his snowmobile away from the group at high speed and eventually the vehicle had rolled over.
An employer of the tour operator, Herbert Hauksson, told visir.is that the man had neither held a driving license nor any experience operating vehicles. Yet, before going on the tour he had signed a document stating that he did.
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