January 2021 I visited Iceland. The country was completely abandoned by tourist during that time due to travel restrictions for most countries. I figured it would be a great opportunity to visit the country and have most of the touristic scenery's just for myself. That turned out to be the case and I'm still thankful I have had that opportunity.
About the how and why of the plane crash there is still a lot of speculation. The common story is that the plane ran out of fuel and the crew had to crash land it on the beach. The crew survived. The valuable items were stripped of and the remains of the plane were left behind. Over time this site became popular by tourists since the contrast of man made and nature in the midst of a desolated black dessert triggers curiosity. The plane wreck became even more popular after Justin Bieber used it in one of his music video's.
Until that time you could drive up to the plane wreck, but as tourist more and more misbehaved the landowner closed the road. You can still get to the plane wreck, but you have to walk. 45min to an hour and back.
Since the plane wreck is in a black dessert like area and you can only just see it a few hundred meters before arrival it can be tricky to loose track. Especially in bad weather with less viability or shortly before sunset. It can be extremely windy and cold in that place. And you definitely don't want to get lost there in the dark.
The walk is fairly flat but the plane is in a little lower spot. That's why you cant see it from far. Similar when walking back, you can't see where you've parked your car. There are some sings showing the pathway but be aware weather can change a lot.
I arrived early morning, walked about 45 min in the blistering cold and arrived at the plane. There was nobody. I stayed for about an hour maybe less since I was freezing. Fortunately the plane provided some shelter against the wind.
This is a selfie I took with a timed shot. I'm not looking angry, just freezing my butt off and thinking about the walk back. Although it was a cold day, I'm still happy I went there. It was a great opportunity to visit it while nobody was there.
Cheers,
Thijs
