Iceland Ice Cave Collapse Kills American Man, Leading Global Headlines

A look at the top global weather headlines this week include a deadly ice cave collapse in Iceland and a major typhoon approaching Japan. Here is a look at what is making the news this week across the world.

Ice Cave Collapse in Iceland Kills One American

One American is dead after an ice cave collapsed in southeastern Iceland on Sunday. A group of nearly two dozen tourists from several nations were in an ice cave that was part of the Breiðamerkurjökull glacier when it fell on them. According to Iceland's public broadcaster RUV, an American man was pronounced dead at the scene while an American woman was taken to a hospital in Reykjavík with injuries.

A rescue operation that began Sunday evening is now finished. Local officials confirmed that all of the 23 tourists have been accounted for. Over 200 responders searched the scene of the collapse, moving the broken ice by hand.

Fortunately, most of the tour group was outside of the cave when it collapsed. Search and rescue crews had a difficult time combing through the ice due to the rugged terrain of this part of Iceland.

An official with the U.S. State Department also confirmed the death of an American citizen.

Global Warming Blamed for Melting Glaciers

Tourists flock to Iceland for its array of natural wonders such as ice caves. Tour operators routinely take visitors into these caves to explore the inside of the nation's stunning glaciers up close and personal. Glaciers cover over 10% of the territory in Iceland with the largest glacier, Vatnajokull, coming in at 3,050 square miles. The Breiðamerkurjökull is an offshoot of the Vatnajokull, sitting at the end of the Jokulsarlon Lagoon.