US TOURIST FALLS INTO MOUNT VESUVIUS (ACTIVE VOLCANO IN ITALY) TRYING TO TAKE SELFIE
It was the height of stupidity.
A Maryland clout-seeker had to be rescued after falling into Mount Vesuvius while taking a selfie in a restricted area.
“He was very lucky,” Paolo Cappelli, president of the Presidio Permanente Vesuvio base, told NBC News of the near miss.
The fiasco occurred over the weekend as Philip Carroll, 23, and two relatives were scaling the legendary 4,203-foot volcano in Campania, Italy. They had reportedly wandered off the trail for a chance to take photos at the summit, ignoring signs stating that the area was off-limits to tourists.
“This family took another trail, closed to tourists, even if there was a small gate and ‘no access’ signs,” said Cappelli. In addition, the family had neglected to purchase tickets, required to ensure there are a manageable number of hikers
Disaster struck after Carroll attempted to take a selfie atop the ancient volcano, whereupon he dropped his phone into the crater. The Baltimore native then attempted to retrieve it, but slipped and fell a few meters into the mountain’s mouth before getting stuck, according to Cappelli’s retelling.
