Gerrard Kaonga
A group of tourists have been slammed after barely avoiding disaster on a 'dangerous' beach in Iceland.
The black-sanded beach on the South Coast of the country is considered so risky that the Icelandic government has dedicated a page explaining how tourists should behave when visiting the area.
The government has also insisted that Reynisfjara Beach is ‘one of the most dangerous destinations in Iceland’, so probably worth taking some precautions.
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You would think at least.
A video that has begun circulating on Reddit has shown some tourists throwing caution to the wind - and it almost costing them their lives.
The post was shared on the r/WhatCouldGoWrong board on Sunday (19 November) and shows multiple tourists almost pulled out to sea in a split second.
The video shows tourists walking on the beach right up to the waves - only to be battered by a fast moving wave that seemingly comes out of nowhere.
The strong waves cause two of them to drop while the rest flee inland.
The pair that fell only just managed to get up and keep moving off the beach to avoid being pulled out to sea.
According to the Icelandic government, these sudden waves are called 'sneaker waves' which - as the name suggests - often catch people off guard.
It added: "The sneaker waves are much larger than those in between and reach way further.
"The time between the giant waves can vary, sometimes, one comes right after the other, or there can be up to tens of smaller waves in between.
"The waves can rise very fast just before hitting the shore."
And there are safety rules which break down beach etiquette as simply as possible with do’s and don’ts.
“Don't go anywhere near where the waves are landing. Note that sneaker waves can form even when the weather is calm,” the advice states.
“Don't go bathing or surfing there, being a strong swimmer won't save you.
“Never turn your back to the ocean (that selfie isn't worth dying for).
“Don't follow others like sheep, make your own judgments of the danger you may be in.
“Don't put yourself at risk by helping others. That could result in a more complex rescue mission for emergency response teams.”
And many thought the group should be grateful that they only got a bit damp.
One Reddit user wrote: “Lucky they just got a little wet. That could have been much worse.”
“The person who stumbled could have been in trouble had she been alone. Read the signs and obey them; don't be idiots,” another added.
“That lady slowly getting up then slowly meandering away had me anxious. Get outta there before you die dummy,” someone else commented.
“It’s a worldwide idiotic tourist behavior. I live on the coast and every years people dies during storm events or heavy sea events because it’s beautiful to see,” a final added.