Stuðlagil is one of Iceland’s best-known natural attractions. The Jökla River flows through a deep canyon lined with striking basalt columns, creating a spectacular but demanding environment for rescue operations. The gorge is steep, the banks can be extremely slippery, and recent fatal accidents have involved visitors falling into the river and drowning.

Rescue operations in Stuðlagil present significant challenges, including difficult access, steep terrain, powerful currents and the coordination of several responding agencies. Magnús will review the most recent rescue operation in the canyon, focusing in particular on cooperation, command and coordination between responders. He will also look back at previous swiftwater rescue operations and discuss the lessons learned from them.