The 23-year-old Baltimore man was hiking on an unauthorized trail accompanied by three relatives Saturday morning, Naples Provincial Police said. Two British tourists were also spotted walking the forbidden path. After the fall, the man reported only a few bruises on his arms, hands and back. He was taken by an ambulance that arrived at the scene, but he did not want to go to the hospital, police said. The footpath had clear signs warning of danger and no access, according to the force, which added that the prosecutor will decide whether to press formal charges against them for trespassing on public land. Vesuvius last erupted in 1944. It is still active, but is in a state of rest, according to the Vesuvius National Park website. The mountain’s highest peak reaches 1,277 meters (4,190 feet), while the crater is 450 meters (1,476 feet) in diameter and 300 meters (984 feet) deep, the national park website adds. Vesuvius was a dormant volcano for centuries before it erupted in AD 79, burying cities such as Pompeii, Oplondida and Stavia under ash. Pompeii was submerged under a 23-foot-deep layer of volcanic debris, which preserved the ruins from the ravages of weather and climate. Since then it has become a popular tourist destination, as well as a rich study area for archaeologists.
