An American tourist who fell into a crater on Vesuvius is in the picture for the first time.
Philip Carroll, 23, was injured after his family took a ‘forbidden route’ past no-entry signs.
When they reached the top of the 4,000-foot volcano, Mr. Carroll tried to take a selfie, but dropped his phone.
He tripped while trying to retrieve it and fell into the crater.
Nearby guides had to abseil into the crater to pull it out, with a mountain rescue helicopter called in to help.
Photos of Mr Carroll have been shared to local media, showing him stretching his arms to reveal large cuts and bloody cuts.
He was treated by medics for minor injuries, including cuts and bruises on his arms and back.
The actions of his family as a whole have infuriated the Italian authorities.
Gennaro Lametta, a government tourism official, took to Facebook on Monday to express his anger.
He wrote: ‘A tourist this morning for reasons yet to be determined… together with his family they ventured on a forbidden path, arrived on the rim of the crater and fell into the mouth of #Vesuvius.’
The 23-year-old was lucky enough to fall several meters before breaking his fall, with experts saying he could have easily fallen 300 meters or nearly 1,000 feet into the crater.
Paolo Cappelli is the president of the Presidio Permanente Vesuvio, a base on the top of Vesuvius where local guides work.
He told NBC News: This family took a different path, closed to tourists, even though there was a gate and no entry signs.
“He tried to salvage it, but slipped and slid a few feet into the crater. He managed to stop his fall, but at that point he was stuck.
‘He was very lucky. If he had continued, he would have dived 300 meters into the crater.’
Cappelli had also informed local media that Carroll had been taken into custody by local police.
His family reportedly failed to buy tickets on Monday and bypassed a turnstile to take a route that was banned.
Mount Vesuvius, which towers over the southern city of Naples, destroyed Pompeii in 79AD.
It lasted until an eruption in 1944 and is still considered one of the most dangerous in the world because it is so close to residential areas, with 600,000 people living in the danger zone.
Contact our news team by sending an email to: [email protected]†
For more stories like this, check our news page†
Contact our news team by sending an email to: [email protected]†
For more stories like this, check our news page†