400 deaths while taking selfies from 2008 to 2021
India leads with 100 deaths, followed by the United States
The reckless pursuit of the perfect shot for social media is resulting in an increasing number of fatalities. A recent study revealed that from 2008 to 2021, nearly 400 people had lost their lives trying to capture their “pic of the day(POTD).”
According to a report by the Daily Mail on the 1st (local time), a team led by Dr. Samuel Cornell from the University of New South Wales in Australia analyzed academic papers and press reports on injuries and deaths caused by selfies worldwide. The results were alarming.
According to the research team, injuries and fatalities from selfies have been steadily increasing, with the number of deaths surging from three in 2013 to 68 in 2019. Notably, female tourists in their early twenties were the most common victims of selfie accidents.
The most common cause of death was drowning after falling while taking a photo. By nationality, Indians had the highest number of fatalities at 100, followed by Americans with 39, and Australians ranking fifth with 15.
A newlywed bride and three others drowned in a reservoir near Tamil Nadu’s Pambar Dam in southern India, as the water swept them away while they were taking a selfie.
In 2021, Sophia Cheung, a 32-year-old renowned influencer from Hong Kong famous for her daring photo poses, tragically fell to her death while taking a selfie at a Hong Kong waterfall.
Furthermore, in Italy, an American tourist suffered severe injuries last July after falling into a volcanic crater while trying to take a photo.
Recently, in South Korea, a man in his 50s suffered severe injuries while trying to capture the pic of the day. On the 26th of last month, while visiting Jeju Island, the man fell 8 meters (26 feet) from a cliff near the famous tourist spot Oedolgae, resulting in serious injuries.
Earlier, on the 13th, a family of three visiting Udo Island in Jeju suffered severe injuries when a concrete structure collapsed as they were taking a photo with the sea as their backdrop.
Dr. Cornell’s team advised that as selfie accidents rise in picturesque locations, “the public needs to be aware of the dangers posed by selfies.” They suggested implementing safety measures such as sending preemptive warning messages about potential risks.
By. Hyojin Kim
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