The 23-year-old man, who dropped his phone and tried to retrieve it after taking the selfie, fell several meters into the crater’s ash before being rescued by nearby park officials on Saturday. He suffered only minor injuries, officials said. The man, who has not been named, allegedly walked on an unauthorized path to reach the summit of Vesuvius at 1,281 meters, according to a spokesman for the Carabinieri of the Vesuvius Park Forestry Department. The spokesman told ABC News he believes the man took the unmarked trail because all the tickets to visit Vesuvius, which cost $2,500 a day, were all booked. The Mount Vesuvius volcano is located in the Vesuvius National Park in Naples, Italy, March 2, 2019. REDA&CO/Universal Images Group via Getty Images, FILE The man had come to the opposite side of the crater, where visitors are not allowed, the spokesman said. Around 3 p.m., local news sources reported that the park’s volcano guides had spotted some people at the top of the crater, an area off-limits to individual access. Drivers immediately started moving towards the area and were able to come to the man’s rescue after seeing him trying to retrieve his mobile phone, according to the Carabinieri spokesman. Drivers also administered first aid to the man’s minor injuries to his legs, arms and back. According to the representative of the Carabinieri, together with the American who fell there were two other Americans, two Britons and an Austrian. Some local sources said three family members were with him, but the spokesman believes only one of the other Americans is related to the downed man. Aerial view of Vesuvio volcano crater located in Vesuvio National Park, Campania, Italy in 2018. S. Amantini / De Agostini via Getty Images, ARCHIVE The Carabinieri Branch arrived at the scene after rescuing the man, taking him and the others into custody. They were accused of trespassing on public land or land for public use, Italian news reports said. The president of the Permanent Bureau of Vesuvius and Figav-Confesercenti, Paolo Cappelli, told Corriere Della Sera that he was grateful for the work of the guides. “[The guides] they are always in the crater to protect the safety of tourists. So recognizing the speed and professionalism shown in this case seemed the right thing to do,” Cappelli said. “Having spoken directly with those who provided the rescue, I can safely say that last Saturday in Mount Vesuvius they saved a human life. I formally thank all the team of guides belonging to the Presidio Permanente Vulcano Vesuvio, always ready and functional in any situation Cappelli added. A spokesman for the Vesuvius Park Forestry Department Carabinieri told ABC News that the man could have fallen 300 meters if not stopped by nearby drivers. He said that on the opposite side of the crater, where visitors are allowed, there are barriers around the opening, but where this man was there were none. According to the spokesperson, it is extremely rare for visitors to deviate from the authorized route. He added that he does not believe any kind of legal action will be taken against the man, other than a fine.
