Big wave from falling glacier races to shore, sends tourists running for safety

Pieces of blue glacial ice are pictured here. A chunk, similar to one these pieces, broke off a glacier in Iceland, sending tourists running for higher ground. No one was injured.

Credit: Pixabay

Credit: Pixabay

Pieces of blue glacial ice are pictured here. A chunk, similar to one these pieces, broke off a glacier in Iceland, sending tourists running for higher ground. No one was injured.

Tourists ran for safety in southern Iceland when a massive chunk of ice from a glacier crashed into the ocean, creating a big and fast-moving wave that raced toward shore.

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The falling glacial ice at Vatnajökull National Park and the subsequent scrambling of the group of tourists to reach higher ground before the wave hit was captured on camera by the Icelandic tour company Hafjall and posted on social media.

Calving glaciers are common this time of year, but Hafjall owner Stephan Mantler admitted on Facebook that this was an "exceptionally large" piece of ice and close to shore, according to USA Today.

"Everybody who goes down there is briefed by their guides what to do in the event of a calving," Mantler said, but he also admitted that the this particular incident "made it a closer call than usual."

One of the tourists posted about the experience, too.

“Before the glacier collapse happened, our tour guide told us when we heard ‘Boom! Boom! Boom!’ we have to run run run run. Thanks to the tour guide for saving our lives.”

Although a close call, no one was injured in incident.

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