Selfie’s Can Be Freaking Dangerous! 15 People Who Died While Taking Selfies
It is the age of selfies and everyone from old ladies to little babies are taking photos of themselves. People go to great lengths to take a good selfie. After all, there is no greater feeling than looking at the selfie you just took and realizing it came out amazing! While the selfie trend is innocent enough for the most part, there are a few potential risks associated with taking selfies. Although it may seem surprising, there have been various world-wide reports of selfie-related accidents that have resulted in serious injuries or, in some cases, deaths. Here’s a list of people who have tragically died from accidents and events involving selfies.
1. The tourist who plunged to her death while taking a selfie on a landmark bridge
Sylwia Rajchel, 23, was a Polish medical student who fell 15 feet from a bridge while taking a selfie. She was visiting Seville, Spain, walking along the Puente de Triana bridge, when she stopped to take a photo. She was balancing on the ledge when she fell to death.
2. Teen plunges 30ft to her death after trying to take SELFIE on top of railway bridge
Xenia Ignatyeva was only 17 years old when she plunged to her death. The teen was taking a picture on a railway bridge in Saint Petersburg when she fell 30 feet to her untimely death. She tried to grab onto live wires and was hit with 1,500 volts of electricity. Tragically, Xenia did not survive the fall.
3. The selfie-obsessed Romanian teen who burst into flames after touching a live wire
In May 2015, a Romanian teenager burst into flames after accidentally touching a live wire while attempting to take the “ultimate selfie” on the roof of a train.
Anna Ursu,18, and a friend went to a train station in the town of Iasi to take a “special selfie” that she intended to post on Facebook. As she lay on top of a train and stuck one of her legs in the air, an electrical field surrounding the overhead cables sent 27,000 volts zapping through her body, causing her to burst into flames.
4. The Polish couple who was killed in a cliff fall after posing for selfies
A Polish couple visiting Portugal fell off the edge of a cliff while trying to take a photograph. The couple’s children, aged 5 and 6, watched as their parents plummeted. The parents had crossed a safety barrier to get to the cliff’s edge in order to take a perfect selfie.
5. Man dies while taking selfie on top of train
A 21-year-old man from Spain was electrocuted to death after being struck by a high-voltage wire. The man had climbed on top of a stopped train in order to take a selfie when he touched a live wire. He was hit with 3,500 volts and was instantly killed.
6. The man who died after accidentally shooting himself while taking a selfie
21-year old Oscar Otero Aguilar lost his life when he tried to take a selfie with a gun for his Facebook page in July of 2014. The Mexican gun enthusiast accidentally shot himself in the head and didn’t survive. According to the police, the young man was “waving it around” while trying to take the picture. He died on his way to the hospital.
7. The bride to be who was killed in a fatal car crash after a taking selfie on the way to her bachelorette party
Bride-to-be Colette Moreno, 26, died in a car crash in June 2014, on her way to her bachelorette party. She was in the passenger seat when the car driven by her friend collided with an oncoming vehicle. Ashley M. Theobald said she was trying to pass a semi whose exhaust fumes were causing Moreno to have an asthmatic reaction. She left behind her five-year-old son and her devastated fiance, Jesse Arcobasso.
8. Woman dies in head-on collision seconds after uploading pictures of herself and ‘HAPPY’ status to Facebook
Courtney Sanford was driving when she decided to upload a bunch of selfie pictures to Facebook. She also made the status “The Happy Song makes me so HAPPY.” Seconds after she posted the status she crashed head on into a truck, killing her instantly.
9. The woman who fell to her death while taking a selfie on a first date
James Nichols is offering £300 (S$630) for a rock that was stolen from his car. Why so much? Because it was chosen by his late girlfriend, who fell to her death while taking a selfie with him on a cliff on their first date.
Miss Holloway, 21, was standing on a large rock near the cliff top while Mr. Nichols, 23, a portrait photographer, set up a tripod. The rock gave way and Miss Holloway fell about 15m onto a pathway. Mr. Nichols rushed down and performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation for 20 minutes until paramedics arrived. But Miss Holloway, a bassist in a band called Burning Blue, was declared dead at the scene.
10. Young teen fell into the El Tunal river in Durango while trying to snap a photo
A 13-year-old girl named Karen Hernández wanted to snap a selfie on the banks of the El Tunal river in Durango, Mexico. Unfortunately she fell into the river and drowned; firefighters recovered her body in July.
11. The teen who died after falling from the bathroom door while attempting to take a photo for the #SelfieOlympics
The popular trend that goes by the name #SelfieOlympics claimed the life of 18-year-old Oscar Reyes. On January 2, 2015 the teenager snapped a photo of himself in a Sponge Bob costume and uploaded it to Facebook. The photo generated over 200 likes. Friends of Oscar say that amount of likes motivated him to try and snap a picture he described to friends as “Crazy AF (as fuck).” Investigators say he was in his mother’s restroom on January 3rd around 2AM when he fell off the door and injured his head. He died from excessive bleeding. A Facebook page was later created to remember the young man.
12. Fifteen-year-old Edwin died as he wanted to have a selfie with an approaching train.
Fifteen-year-old Edwin, of Chiyyaram, near Thrissur, in India was reportedly killed after being struck by a speeding train. Edwin apparently wanted to have a selfie with an approaching train in the background to post on social media but he slipped on the rails.
13. The 18-year-old who died attempting a group beach birthday selfie.
A young woman named Chezka Agas drowned while posing for a group selfie after a friend’s birthday celebration in the Philippines. The 18-year-old civil engineering student was overtaken by a strong wave that struck the group as they posed in front of the famous Bangui windmills on a beach in Barangay Masikil. Police rushed Ms. Agas to a nearby hospital, but she was pronounced dead upon arrival.
14. The Puerto Rican rapper who died after taking a selfie while riding his motorcycle
Ramon Gonzalez was a rapper from Puerto Rico, who sang Reggaeton music, and went by the name Jadiel. He had multiple hits during his lifetime, including “Fashion Girl” and “Sol y Arena.” While visiting family in Rochester, New York, Jadiel was going for a ride on his motorcycle and snapped a selfie. Moments later, Jadiel “lost control of his motorcycle and ended up in the path of an oncoming vehicle.” He died on May 10, 2014 at Strong Memorial Hospital.
15. Man Takes Selfie Moments Before Deadly Shark Attack
In 2014 there were rumors that a man was killed by a shark while taking a selfie. The man in the story was reportedly named James Crowlett, and was a 34-year-old insurance salesman from Oregon. However the photo in question was of musician Pete Wentz and someone photo shopped it to look like he was being trailed by a shark.