Girl, 9, dies on 'world's most dangerous beach' where waves reach 120ft

A young girl has tragically died in Iceland at a beach dubbed the 'world's most dangerous'.

The victim, aged nine, entered the sea with her father and sister, who managed to get back to shore at Reynisfjara Black Beach on Saturday. A major search was launched by the Icelandic Coast Guard shortly after they received an alert at 3pm. A helicopter located the girl, prompting police to issue a statement at 4.54pm.

The girl is believed to be a tourist from Germany, and was with her family before the incident occurred. The beach is a popular destination for holidaymakers due to its picturesque views and black sands. However, it's also known for its harsh waves which have been recorded at 120ft. It comes after a kitesurfer notices a stick in ocean then realises something is alive on the end.

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Beachgoers can often be caught off guard at Reynisfjara Black Beach. Local landowner Ragnar Sigurður Indriðaso says tourists have previously ignored safety instructions,reports Iceland Monitor.

“It’s absolutely terrible when something like this happens - just dreadful,” he said. "Some people just don’t want to be told what to do. Although the majority follow instructions, there’s a portion that’s stubborn and simply refuses to stay off the lower beach."

He added: “I’ve tried pointing out the dangers to people but have received awful responses and unpleasant behaviour. One can hardly be expected to put up with this - even the police give up.

"They’ve kept watch here after previous accidents. They’ve told me it’s incredibly difficult to deal with people and stop them. It would be an enormous burden on anyone who tried to act as a guard there - not just anyone would be willing to take that on."

Ragnar said he will be having a meeting with other landowners to see if there are more preventative measures which can be put in place.

The waves, coupled with powerful ocean currents, make for extremely dangerous conditions. If you're knocked over by a wave, the current can quickly pull you out to sea, and the freezing waters can induce hypothermia within minutes.

There's also the risk of rock falls from the cliffs above. Given the dangers, the beach has its own traffic light system to ensure visitors can access it safely.

When the yellow light is on, visitors are warned not to enter the yellow zone. Similarly, when the red light is on, they must steer clear of the red zone.