Chinese tourists who refused to stop taking selfies fall into cold Venice canal after gondola capsizes
- The incident happened when the gondolier tried to steer the craft under a bridge near the St Mark’s Square area of the city
- In recent years, Venice’s canals have been plagued by overcrowding from rising tourist numbers
A group of tourists in Venice were sent tumbling into the icy waters of the famous canal after flipping their gondola, The Guardian reported, citing local media.
Videos shared on TikTok and Instagram show the group in the water after their gondola capsized near the St Mark’s Square area of the historic city.
The group of Chinese tourists had reportedly ignored calls from their gondolier to sit down and continued to move about while taking photos of the iconic city.
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Gondola capsizes after tourists refuse to stop taking selfies
The gondolier was attempting a difficult manoeuvre while trying to steer the gondola under a bridge, and the move required all those on board to balance their weight evenly across the vessel. But they continued to shuffle around until it eventually capsized.
The tourists eventually managed to exit the canal safely and were attended to at the nearby La Fenice theatre.
Venice’s gondoliers’ association did not respond to Business Insider’s request for comment.
Venice’s gondoliers’ association has taken measures in recent years to reduce the capacity of their boats to accommodate “overweight” tourists, The Guardian reported.