Aldan is the 6-metre rigid-hulled rescue boat of Skagfirðingasveit in Sauðárkrókur and an important part of the team’s sea rescue equipment. With Aldan, the team has stronger capacity to respond to incidents on the sea, along the coast and on the lakes and waters of Skagafjörður, where conditions can change quickly and every minute can matter.

Built for Changing Conditions

Search and rescue work in Skagafjörður is shaped by weather, water, terrain and distance. Alongside callouts connected to difficult travel conditions on land, tasks on the sea and around water have long been an important part of the team’s work.

Before Aldan arrived, the team often had to rely on smaller equipment in situations that called for greater capacity, better safety and more reliable tools for volunteers working in demanding conditions.

Choosing the Right Boat

The road to Aldan was not short. Skagfirðingasveit had worked for some time to strengthen its sea rescue equipment, and the need for a more capable boat had become clear through the team’s experience and callouts.

A 12-person group within the team reviewed the needs, options and future use of the boat. The group chose a Zodiak Aka Marine boat and worked with a Danish dealer to bring it to Iceland, a process that served the team well.

Community Support Made It Possible

FISK Seafood in Sauðárkrókur had planned from the beginning to support Skagfirðingasveit with a new rescue boat. After a difficult earlier purchase process did not result in a boat, FISK continued to stand behind the team and funded Aldan in full.

The gift lifted a heavy burden from the volunteers who had worked on the project and gave the team a stronger foundation for future response work. The Garmin store in Reykjavík also contributed by donating Garmin equipment for the boat, adding important tools for navigation and safety.

A Gift for the Whole Community

Aldan arrived in Iceland in early 2025 and was formally handed over at Borgarröst 1 in Sauðárkrókur on 15 March 2025. Volunteers, supporters and representatives from FISK Seafood gathered to mark a milestone that was about more than a boat.

The following day, Aldan went on her first sea trial. The boat quickly proved to be capable and reassuring, giving the team confidence that the long work behind the project had been worth it.

Sea Rescue in Skagafjörður

Skagafjörður is a large area, and sea rescue often depends on good cooperation. Grettir in Hofsós also operates boats, and both teams may be called out on the fjord when help is needed. For Skagfirðingasveit, working well with other rescue teams is an important part of keeping response strong across the area.

More Than Equipment

Today, Aldan is part of the trusted support system people rely on when something goes wrong, whether on land or water. The boat strengthens the team’s ability to respond around water, but the heart of the work is still the same: people, training, teamwork and the willingness to show up when help is needed.

The name Aldan means the wave. It is a fitting name for a rescue boat in Skagafjörður. It reminds us of the power of nature, but also of the strength that is created when volunteers, local companies and community stand together.

— Skagfirðingasveit Search and Rescue Team