Since selfies are such a popular trend, and people feel a tremendous sense of validation from others because of these kinds of pictures, it’s perhaps not surprising to see how far some will go for the perfect shot. Selfie-related deaths are a shocking statistic making an appearance around the world, with a study published in the Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care stating that about 259 people have died from attempting to photograph themselves between October 2011 and November 2017.[1]
Here are ten of the more unique ways people have died by taking selfies in recent times:
10 Fell Off A Cliff
Photo credit: picture-alliance/imageBROKER
In November 2018, a 35-year-old German tourist was visiting a 1,200-meter-high (4,000 ft) cliff called World’s End in Sri Lanka. Thinking that the breathtaking sight would make the perfect photo, she took out her phone to take a snap of herself and her friend. Unfortunately, she stumbled and fell off the sheer cliff, much to the horror of everyone else present. The Sri Lankan army and volunteers spent six hours in search of the woman’s body, an effort which involved air support and a fair bit of climbing.
World’s End is a popular location situated in Horton Plains National Park, and it’s considered to be one of the biggest tourist attractions on the entire island. Even though this woman tragically lost her life, this isn’t the first time someone fell off the cliff trying to take a selfie. In 2015, a Dutch man on honeymoon with his wife attempted to take a selfie when he plummeted off the precipice. Miraculously, he survived the ordeal because a tree broke his fall about 15 meters (50 ft) down the cliff.[2]
9 Fell 27 Stories
In yet another case of falling to one’s death, a woman slipped off her balcony while trying to take a selfie in October 2018. She was Sandra Manuela Da Costa Macedo, a 44-year-year old mother of two children. She was a teacher from Portugal who had recently moved to Panama City. The incident took place at her apartment in the Luxor Tower. Nearby construction workers were able to film her as they tried to warn her of the potential danger she was putting herself in. Then, tragedy struck. According to witnesses, she was still holding onto the selfie stick as she fell 27 stories to her death.
A witness who also lives in the Luxor Tower also saw the incident unfold and recounted that Macedo decided to sit on the railing for her last selfie when she she went over the edge. The video that was recorded by the construction workers made the rounds on social media, with users commenting on how sorry they were for her passing as well as how this incident was one of the stupidest ways to die.[3]
8 Drowned In A Lake
In October 2018 in India, three students climbed onto a moss-covered rock at the edge of a lake to take a selfie together, and one of them slipped off. The other two jumped in to rescue their friend, but all of them got stuck in silt and drowned. This incident took place when the three boys were on a school trip along with 51 other students and seven teachers. They were part of the National Service Scheme team visiting the area. The victims were identified as Poornachandra (18), Mohammed Murtuza (17) and Shashank (17), all of whom were PUC students at the Siddaganga Boys PU College in Tumakuru.
The three boys went to the other side of the lake to take the selfie when the incident took place. Even though another student jumped in to save them, they had already drowned by the time they could be reached. The locals alerted the police and the fire and rescue services, after which the boys’ bodies could only be fished out of the lake and sent off to the Nelmangala Government Hospital for postmortem examinations.[4]
7 Killed By A Plane
Also in October 2018, in Chinapas, Mexico, two teenage girls were killed while trying to take selfies on a runway when a plane was in the process of landing. The girls were 17 and 18 years old and had arrived earlier to attend the races that took place near the airport. The two were standing on the tarmac when they didn’t notice an oncoming plane attempting to land. The plane’s wing struck both of the girls’ heads, killing them instantly.
The pilot of the plane in question noticed the girls standing on the tarmac, but before he could do anything to prevent the tragedy, it was already too late. The authorities launched an investigation into the incident.[5]
6 Fell Off The Roof Of A Mall
In September 2018, a teenager in Italy climbed onto the roof of a mall to take a selfie when he tragically fell to his death. His name was Andrea Barone, and the incident took place on a Saturday night at the Sarca shopping center in Milan when he crashed into an air duct and fell from the third floor. According to the local newspaper, the Corriere Della Sera, the 15-year-old and a group of his friends secretly ascended the building by climbing over gates and fences to get to the top. After taking the life-threatening selfie, the boy tried to descend back down the building when he fell into the ventilation duct.
Emergency services desperately tried to save the boy’s life but were unable to do so due to his severe injuries. Barone was a student at the Eugenio Montale technical institute and captain of the football team. He was known for his dangerous selfies, which he posted on Instagram, a number of which were taken on the roofs of buildings. Ironically, one of the slogans that he posted on the social media platform was: “Death does not scare us, we look at it in the face.”
Barone’s family questioned why there wasn’t adequate security on-site to prevent the accident from taking place. The mayor of Cusano Milanino, Lorenzo Gaiani, extended his sincerest condolences to Barone’s family and said that his administration as well as the whole community was shocked at the absurdity of this death.[6]
5 Mauled By A Bear
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Are these really accidents or suicide by selfie? I am beginning to think this is a suicide trend.
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