Tourist Narrowly Escapes Danger At Beach

Yet another tourist has taken their life in their hands at the notorious Reynisfjara beach, and one tour guide laments “no one listens” to warnings.

A public post made in the Icelandic tourism industry workers group Bakland Ferðaþjónustunnar described, with photographs, another tourist’s close call with death.

Kristján Guðmundsson, who made the post, wrote that several tourists had to be saved from danger at Reynisfjara beach within a very short span of time. He posted photographs of a young woman who, despite being warned of the dangers of the waters, waded into the waves anyway and was almost washed out to sea. Bafflingly, after witnessing this event and having received the same lecture, two more tourists followed suit.

“There was a lot of surf that day but people don’t listen,” Kristján told Vísir. “People try their best – drivers, guides and others – but people just don’t listen. When the surf is like this it can be very difficult.”

Reynisfjara is a notoriously dangerous spot for wading into the water. One woman drowned at the south Iceland beach in 2007, and in 2013, another tourist was saved from drowning after she was pulled in by the undertow.

In case it is not abundantly clear: do not wade into the waters at Reynisfjara beach. More importantly, please abide the warnings of tour guides regarding your physical safety.