The 23-year-old and his family reached the top of the 1,281-meter (4,202-foot) volcano that towers over the southern Italian city of Naples after bypassing a visitors’ turnstile and taking an off-limits path. The man was taking a selfie, according to local press reports, when his phone slipped out of his hand and into the crater. He then descended into the crater in an attempt to retrieve his phone, only to fall several meters after losing his balance. Vesuvius drivers were first on the scene and dropped into the crater to pull him out. Police rushed to the scene and a mountain rescue helicopter was dispatched to assist the rescue operation. The man was treated for cuts and bruises to his arms and back. The tourist and his three relatives face charges following a police complaint of trespassing on public land. The group, who reportedly ventured into the volcano without tickets, followed a path that was clearly marked as forbidden due to being extremely dangerous. Subscribe to First Edition, our free daily newsletter – every morning at 7am. BST In September 2017 an 11-year-old boy and his parents died after falling into the Solfatara di Pozzuoli crater, one of 40 volcanoes in the Campi Flegrei area west of Naples. The boy is believed to have passed out from gas fumes before falling into the crater. His parents tried to save him but the crater collapsed. Vesuvius, which destroyed the ancient Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum when it erupted in AD 79, is considered one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world because of its proximity to Naples and other nearby cities.
