Stricter Rules For Ice Cave Tours In Vatnajökull To Be Imposed

The director of Vatnajökull National Park says there is reasonable agreement among tourism companies about new conditions set for ice cave tours following a fatal accident on Breiðamerkurjökull this summer, Vísir reports. Tours will now subject to daily risk assessment, among other requirements.

Stricter safety provisions for glacier tours are included in the terms of new agreements between Vatnajökull National Park and tourism companies that organise ice cave tours. The companies’ agreements expired at the end of September, but now the final touches are being put on their extension until the end of November.

Breaking Point: Fatal Ice Cave Accident Raises Big Questions For Tourism Safety

Ice cave tours were temporarily halted after an American man died on a tour with Ice Pic Journeys when ice collapsed on him in a moulin on Breiðamerkurjökull in August. The investigation into his death is still ongoing. The national park has also reported the company Niflheimar to the police for what it considers illegal construction in the glacier.

According to the new terms, companies must, among other things, designate an experienced lead guide to participate in an assessment group that conducts daily status assessments of each ice cave and overhanging ice formations such as ice walls and moulins.

If the group concludes that conditions at a particular location are not safe, companies are obligated not to go there that day, according to draft agreements sent to the companies recently. The companies waive the right to make financial claims against the national park due to access restrictions.

The establishment of an expert council is also stipulated, which is to have overall supervision of the implementation of daily status assessments of ice caves by assessment groups.

In addition to tourism companies, the expert council is to be composed of representatives from the national park nominated by the Icelandic Travel Industry Association and the East Skaftafell Tourism Association (FASK), and the Icelandic Mountain Guide Association. A fee will be charged to companies based on the number of customers to finance the expert council.

The draft agreements also stipulate that companies promise to do nothing that could diminish the reputation and credibility of Vatnajökull National Park.

Ingibjörg Halldórsdóttir, director of Vatnajökull National Park, told Vísir that various comments have been received on the terms and they are now being processed. Possibly some changes will be made to them as a result.

“There were no major issues. There seems to be reasonable agreement with this arrangement being shaped, the expert council and this daily status assessment. We have been developing it with the operators,” says Ingibjörg. “There is consultation and the ice caves are assessed daily by the operators themselves. We’re shaping this so that everyone agrees on how it’s done,” she says.

Originally, the plan was to extend previous agreements with operators for a month while the new arrangement was being refined. It was decided to make the extension for two months to allow more time for this.