Tourists' Quest for Selfies Leads to Venice Gondola Tragedy

A group of Chinese tourists found themselves in chilly waters in Venice when the gondola they were riding in capsized as they stood up to take selfies. The five tourists were able to swim to safety along the canal bank and sought shelter at La Fenice theater, as reported by Venice police. No injuries were sustained during the Sunday incident, but one of the tourists did lose their cellphone in the mishap. The incident occurred as the gondolier attempted to navigate under a low bridge.

There was no damage to the gondola but its upholstered chairs and blankets were thrown into the canal, a spokesman for the citys gondola association told CNN Thursday.

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Despite the gondolier's instructions, the tourists did not follow his advice to stay seated and refrain from taking selfies due to a language barrier.

The association has recently reduced the maximum number of riders on gondolas from six to five, with a maximum weight limit of 230 pounds per rider.

In Venice, there are 430 licensed gondoliers who take turns working to cater to tourists. The tradition of being a gondolier is commonly passed down from father to son, with only one licensed female gondolier currently.

In recent years, there has been a problem with poorly behaved tourists, such as a man who jumped into the canal from a three-story building and others who were fined for swimming in the water. In addition, authorities started an investigation in May after a mysterious green substance turned the canal fluorescent green. It was determined that a chemical had been dumped into the water, although it remains unclear how it got there.

Next year, Venice will institute an entrance fee for day trippers to the city to combat over-tourism.