Lagarfljót Worm: Iceland's Loch Ness Monster

The Lagarfljótsormurinn

Lagarfljót worm, (or simply Iceland Worm Monster) is an Icelandic lake cryptid which is purported to live in Lagarfljót in Egilsstaðir.

Sightings have been logged since 1345 and continue into the 21st century including a 2012 video supposedly showing the creature swimming, and an origin of the creature is given in Jón Árnason’s collection of Icelandic folktales and legends published in 1862 and 1864.

div>

Others besides Hjörtur Kjerlf are hoping to get the municipality’s incentive for successfully photographing Lagarfljótsormurinn. In addition, Sigurur Aalsteinsson contends that he deserves the cash award of 500,000 Icelandic kroner for successfully preserving the legendary sea monster. The truth committee of the municipality will now decide how to respond to his demands.

The world was interested in Hjörtur Kjerlf’s film about a weird figure on the river Lagarfljót last winter. In the freezing water, a snake-like creature appeared to be swimming against the stream. Or was the unusual shape simply a fishing net or a fence?

The Lagarfljótsormurinn myth was given new life by the images. The farmer at Hrafnkelsstair on the east bank of Lagarfljót was visited by many international TV teams, and Hjörtur Kjerlf repeatedly insisted that the photographs were genuine and that he had just managed to catch something really weird one morning when he peered out the window.

Hjörtur Kjerlf submitted a claim for the 1997-announced incentive to the Fljótsdalshéra municipality earlier this year. The town, which at the time went by the name of Egilsstair, held a contest in which the winner would get 500,000 Icelandic kroner and the greatest images of the legendary sea monster. The prize money was frozen since no images were deemed to be good enough, which may indicate that the Lagarfljótsormurinn disliked bragging to eager photographers at the time. However, the municipality left the option of disbursing the funds at a later time open.

The city created a truth committee made up of thirteen persons to take a position on Hjörtur Kjerlf’s requests. It is now given another grant to consider. The reward is also claimed by Sigurur Aalsteinsson, who also resides in the municipality.

Recently, the municipal board determined that it should also evaluate Sigurur Aalsteinsson’s photographs. By spring 2014, at the latest, it must have reached a conclusion. It may also have determined if the Lagarfljótsormurinn exists.

You may view the movie above and learn more about Lagarfljótsormurinn here.

Iceland’s Worm Monster all Pics & Videos