One dead, one injured on Rift dive - Iceland

[DandyDon]

The continental rift dive is a famous site on a national park, in water slightly above freezing. See Silfra - Thingvellir National Park, Iceland - Diving between Continents

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An Icelandic man in his thirties died on December 28 while diving in the Silfra rift in Þingvellir National Park in Southwest Iceland, a popular diving destination. The man had been diving with another person at a depth of around 40 meters when the accident occurred, ruv.is reports.

The man’s companion immediately dived down to him and got him to the surface where resuscitation attempts were commenced immediately. The man was however pronounced dead at the scene and his companion transported to hospital with suspected decompression illness. No further details on the incident have yet been released.

The man who died at Silfra has been named as Björn Kolbeinsson (b.1977). Björn worked as a specialist with EFTA in Geneva. He was not married and had no children. He was in Iceland to visit family and friends during the holiday period.

 

[swamp diver]

Fresh water, 2 C, and 200 foot visibility.

Diving Silfra, Iceland - the visibility wonderland - YouTube

 

[Mike]

We are planning a trip to Iceland now that Denver has direct flights there. I've seen the diving offered and never considered doing it. I can't imagine the thrill of what people are getting with diving in a lifeless, freezing cold rock pit.

 

[Divedaily]

Lifeless?

 

[DandyDon]

We are planning a trip to Iceland now that Denver has direct flights there. I've seen the diving offered and never considered doing it. I can't imagine the thrill of what people are getting with diving in a lifeless, freezing cold rock pit.

It's unique - diving Iceland, between two continental plates. Some of the youtube vids are interesting. Not for me either, but I wouldn't criticize anyone for wanting to.

Lifeless?

Glacial fed spring water at 3C/37F - no nutrients and pretty cold. I don't think you'd see any life forms aside from other divers.

 

[nadwidny]

We are planning a trip to Iceland now that Denver has direct flights there. I've seen the diving offered and never considered doing it. I can't imagine the thrill of what people are getting with diving in a lifeless, freezing cold rock pit.

Cozumel was invented for people like you.

 

[fjpatrum]

Lifeless? Maybe (though I doubt it). Beautiful? Absolutely. Worth doing? I think probably, yes.

Sad to hear of any deaths of divers but let's not bash the site (especially in an A&I thread) just because it's not our cup of tea.

Are there any further details about this?

 

[Mike]

I haven't criticized or bashed anyone. As I said, I can't imagine the thrill of this dive, that's not bashing anyone.

Cozumel was invented for people like you.

You're absolutely correct.

It's a weird coincidence I was just looking into these dives a few weeks ago and then this post appears about the very dive site I was watching and reading about.

 

[shoredivr]

It's on my to do list.

Wonder if the deceased diver had cold water experience, can't read the linked article.

 

[DarkRiftDive]

Sad to hear about the accident. But I must say, Silfra is an absolutely amazing dive. I did my final open water check out dive in Silfra and have logged around half a dozen dives in there since. Will be going back in April to dive it again. There is nothing quite like it in the world. And there is life down there. Some small fish, larvae and algae. But the 100 metre+ visibility is unreal.