A pair of tourists were caught on video stripping and playing on the ice at Jökulsárlón, to the divided opinion of Icelanders with whom reporters spoke.
“This is what greeted me at the lagoon this morning,” wrote Þórarinn Jónsson with a video he posted in the Facebook group Bakland Ferðaþjónustunnar (The Back Rooms of the Tourist Industry). “I don’t think it needs further explanation.”
In the video, two men can be seen stripping, posing, and galavanting on the ice of the Jökulsárlón lagoon. Opinion was divided on the activity, but many had something to say.
“I suppose we can never stop idiots from killing themselves,” commented tour guide Ingólfur Bruun. “As has happened many times before, it’s not possible to keep an eye on everyone. That’s just how it is. There will always be idiots.”
“They seem to be enjoying themselves,” said Börkur Hrólfsson, another tour guide. “I see nothing wrong with this. I’m sure they’re aware the water is cold and deep.”
As Vísir points out, there have been some incidents involving tourists behaving carelessly at Jökulsárlón, including several occasions wherein tourists have stepped onto the precarious ice floes, even with their children in tow. Some have even ended up stranded and in need of rescue.
If you visit the stunning and unforgettable Jökulsárlón, by all means take photos and enjoy the sight from the shore, but avoid attempting to clamber onto the ice – for your sake, and that of people who may have to rescue you.
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