On Saturday, a man with three relations decided to climb Mount Vesuvius along one of the dangerous routes, according to the Metro newspaper.
The family decided against buying tickets for the official tour, and walked around fences so that they could enter parts which are closed to tourists.
Once they reached the top of the mountain, the man responded to the usual promptings of nature these days and tried to take a selfie. However, the phone slipped from his hand and rolled into the mouth of the volcano. The tourist decided to retrieve his mobile, but lost his balance and fell a number of meters into the mouth of the volcano.
Rescuers and a helicopter quickly arrived at the scene to get the tourist out of the mouth of Vesuvius. The man was treated for cuts and bruises.
The would-be "photographer" and his three relations were charged by local police for invasion of public land.
Vesuvius, towering over Naples, is considered one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world and the only active one in mainland Europe. Back in 79 AD, its eruption destroyed the ancient Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. It last erupted in 1944.