A gondola in Venice capsized after a group of tourists ignored the gondolier's orders to sit down and stop taking selfies, causing the boat to tip over. The incident occurred near St Mark's Square as the gondolier attempted a tricky manoeuvre under a bridge, requiring maximum weight balance. Video of the passengers and gondolier ending up in the canal water was widely shared online.
According to local press reports, the group from China had been shifting around the gondola and taking selfies against the backdrop of Venice's famous sites. The gondolier also fell into the water but scrambled to rescue his passengers. The group was brought to safety and provided with hospitality and warmth at the nearby La Fenice theatre, according to an Instagram post by Venezia Non è Disneyland.
In 2020, Venice's gondoliers' association reduced capacity on gondolas, blaming the increased burden of overweight tourists. The limit on a gondola da nolo was reduced from six to five people, while on a gondola da parada, the number decreased from 14 to 12. Andrea Balbi, president of the gondoliers' association, noted that tourists weigh more compared to 10 or 15 years ago.
This incident follows a similar event in 2022 when an American tourist fell into the crater of Mount Vesuvius while trying to retrieve his phone after taking a selfie.
