[VIDEO] Venice Gondola Capsizes After Tourists Refuse to Sit Down and Stop Taking Selfies

The pursuit of the ultimate selfie frequently propels people into rather precarious situations, such as scaling steep cliffs or frolicking in the waters of Venice, Italy.

This scenario unfolded for a group of tourists in the renowned canals of Venice. Despite being urged to sit down and cease their selfie-taking escapades in the gondola, they defiantly continued their photo session and the small boat quickly capsized. 

The Guardian: 

The gondolier, who had been attempting a tricky manoeuvre as he navigated the vessel under a bridge close to the area of St Mark’s Square, also ended up in the water before scrambling to rescue his passengers.

According to reports in the local press, the group from China had been shifting around the gondola and taking selfies against the backdrop of the lagoon city’s famous sites when the incident, which was captured on video and shared widely online, happened.

The gondolier’s manoeuvre under the bridge required the maximum balance of weight onboard, but the passengers reportedly ignored his orders to sit down and instead continued to stand up and take photos, thus tipping the boat over.

A post on the Instagram page of Venezia Non è Disneyland (Venice Is Not Disneyland), an account set up by young Venetians to chronicle the mishaps of tourists in the city, said the group was brought to safety and provided with “hospitality and warmth” in the nearby La Fenice theatre.
 

 

I get the desire to snap a few pics on vacation, but purposely disregarding a gondolier's safety advice for the sake of chasing that "perfect" shot is simply foolish. People like this ought to chill out and appreciate the view through their own eyes.