A 23-year-old American man was rescued over the weekend after falling into the crater of Mount Vesuvius in Italy while taking a selfie.
visited the man The famous volcanonotorious for destroying the Roman city Pompeii and covered with ashes in 79 AD, with two family members Saturday.
The family climbed Vesuvius from the town of Ottaviano and reached the top of the volcano through a restricted trail, Paolo Capelli, president of Presidio Permanente Vesuvio, a base at the top of Vesuvius where guides work, told NBC News by phone.
“This family took another path that was closed to tourists, even if there was a small gate and ‘no access’ signs,” Cappelli said.
When the family reached the top A volcano over 4000 feet highThe man stopped to take a selfie and his phone fell into the hole.
“He tried to get it back, but he slipped and slid a few meters into the hole. He managed to stop his fall but he was stuck in that moment,” Cappelli said.
He added, “He was very lucky. Had he kept moving, he would have sunk 300 meters into the hole.”
VesuviusThe conical crater has a depth of 300 meters, or approximately 1,000 feet, and a diameter of 450 meters, or approximately 1,500 feet.
The man had scrapes and cuts to his arms and back in the fall.
The guides from Presidio Permanente Vesuvio saw what had happened with an endoscope from the other side of the ledge and rushed to help the man. They used a long rope to pull him to safety.
Subsequently, the man, who has not been identified, was taken into custody by the local Carabinieri police.
It was not immediately clear what charges he faces.