The tourist climbed up one of the Colosseum’s railings but slipped and fell onto a sharp metal spike – which pierced his spine, leaving him dangling from the fence screaming until he fell unconscious
An American tourist was left seriously injured after impaling himself on a metal fence whilst taking a selfie at Rome’s Colosseum. The man, a US citizen living in Taiwan, had climbed up one of the railings between the Colosseum’s seven-metre long arches but slipped and fell onto a sharp metal spike, which pierced his spine – leaving him dangling from the fence screaming until he fell unconscious.
The 47-year-old is thought to have been trying to get a better view of the iconic landmark, with local press speculating he was attempting to capture a dramatic selfie.
According to Il Messaggero, the man slipped whilst scaling the fence and was impaled through the spine. Paramedics raced to the scene after calls from horrified eyewitnesses, but it took a gruelling 20 minutes to remove the tourist from the spike.
“It was a complex operation,” one first responder told the paper. “He was losing a lot of blood, and we had to work with extreme caution.”
The man was rushed to San Giovanni Hospital for surgery in “code red” condition – meant for life-threatening emergency.
He was left needing more than 80 stitches, and by Friday, doctors said he was out of immediate danger and in serious but stable condition.
The man was on a trip to Rome with friends and family, and had already been there several days before the horror accident.
He was later questioned by the Carabinieri police, with his loved-ones also interviewed by cops trying to get to the bottom of his motivations for the climb.
They were unable to give answers, and no official statement has been released by Italian law enforcement regarding potential charges.
Il Messaggero said the tourist may have been trying to capture “a closer view of the Colosseum, perhaps for an unforgettable selfie.”
The landmark has seen its fair share of misbehaving tourists. In 2021, two American travellers were caught sneaking into the ancient arena after dark, reportedly to crack open beers inside the ruins.
Their late-night adventure earned them an €800 fine and a spot in Italy’s growing list of tourist mishaps.
With over 7 million visitors a year, the Colosseum may be a bucket-list destination, but Italian authorities are growing weary of reckless antics from tourists.
Officials have urged travellers to behave responsibly and respectfully as the 2,000-year-old monument continues to welcome overwhelming footfall.