Tourist's 'dangerous' jump into Venice canal sparks manhunt: 'Idiot'
Footage shows the man, wearing just a pair of boxers, teetering on the edge of what appears to be an apartment block.
A frantic hunt is underway for a man — believed to be a tourist — who was filmed jumping off the roof of a three-storey building into a Venice canal.
The footage, which was captured on Thursday, shows the man, wearing just a pair of boxers, teetering on the edge of what appears to be an apartment block as witnesses stop and watch on in shock.
Locals can be heard yelling at him as he launches himself off and flails in the air before belly-flopping, making a loud crashing sound. He then swims to the edge of the water before climbing out and being handed a towel by another man.
Venice’s Mayor Luigi Brugnaro, who posted the clip on Twitter, has vowed to arrest the man — who he described as a tourist and an “idiot” — and his friend.
“We are trying to identify him, to report him, him and his buddy below who made the stupid video for social media,” Mr Brugnaro said, CNN reports. “He risked his life in that jump, but he is also a delinquent. They don’t understand the danger they create in this city. What if a boat would have been passing below?”
A questo “soggetto” bisognerebbe dargli un certificato di STUPIDITÀ e un bel sacco di pedate … stiamo cercando di identificarlo, per denunciarlo, Lui e il suo compare sotto che faceva il video cretino per i social .. pic.twitter.com/lrzaIzy516
— Luigi Brugnaro (@LuigiBrugnaro) March 24, 2023
Mayor blames social media for 'stupid' act
The mayor, who said the traveller deserved a “certificate of stupidity and a lot of kicks” for the potentially tragic act. Mr Brugnaro is urging people on social media to help identify the two men, who he vows to prosecute. He also warned people against giving the footage too much attention. “They do these stupid things on social for the likes,” he said, CNN reports.
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Venice has long suffered over-tourism, and has a long list of rules governing the behaviour of visitors. As of this year, day-trippers have to pay a visitor’s tax to help offset the elevated costs of providing services in the canal city.
Last year, two foreign tourists who sped down Venice’s Grand Canal on motorised surf boards were fined A$2,301 each after Mr Brugnaro posted footage of the incident and asked for help apprehending “two overbearing imbeciles who are making a mockery of the city.”
With AP
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