The younger brother has woken up
From the scene of the terrible accident in a Hafnarfjörður river when two boys nearly drowned. Photo: Mbl
The Reykjavik metropolitan police have concluded their investigation of the terrible accident which occurred earlier this week when two boys almost drowned when caught in a waterfall in a river in Hafnarfjörður. The younger brother, aged 9, has woken up in hospital but his condition is still uncertain.
In a press release from the police it states that three children, two brothers aged 9 and twelve and their sister, aged eleven were trying to fetch a ball from the river. The younger brother fell into the current and was trapped in a very powerful waterfall. The older brother tried to pull him out and fell into the waterfall himself. It is clear that the children had no idea of the danger and the sheer force of the water created by the dam in the river.
Their sister called their mother who called emergency services and then proceeded to try try to pull out the boys herself aided by a sixteen year old girl who had witnessed the accident. The sister then stopped a passing car. The driver of the car, a man in his twenties, tried to pull the boys out and fell into the current himself. Emergency sercives arrived four minutes after the phonecall. The police managed to get the man and the older boy out of the river. A policeman jumped in to the river to try to get the younger boy out and was also trapped under the whirling current created by the waterfall, but managed to get a hold of the younger boy. After several attempts, the emergency team managed to get a hold of the policemans leg and pulled him, along with the younger boy and dragged them onto the riverbank. The older boy responded to CPR quickly and regained consciousness but the younger boy did not regain consciousness despite CPR. Both were transported to hospital along with the men who also fell into the water. The older boy was sent home to his family with minor injuries and the younger was kept under on a respirator. He has now woken up and has been taken off the respirator but his exact condition is still uncertain.
The police and the family of the children wish to send their heartfelt thanks to those who attempted the rescue, for their great courage and serenity in such a traumatic and difficult event. The Reykjavik police also wish to send the family of the children, and especially the youngest child, their best wishes and courage and hopes for a rapid recovery.
The dam has now been emptied and the town of Hafnarfjörður is taking all neccessary steps to prevent such an accident from occurring in the future.
