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23 hours ago
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AN ICONIC cliff-side beauty has banned visitors over fears selfie-seeking Instagram influencers will fall to their deaths.
Surfer’s Rock, which juts out over Lagoinha do Leste beach in Brazil, used to attract tourists who would wait hours to capture the perfect photo.
Influencers and tourists are seen at Pedra do Surfista (Surfer’s Rock) near Florianopolis, BrazilNewsflash
Newsflash
NewsflashHowever, the Instagram hotspot will now remain deserted, as authorities have decided to close the site to prevent potentially fatal accidents.
A recent geographical survey revealed that the rock – known in Portuguese as Pedra do Surfista – will likely collapse due to the many selfie-seekers eager to get their perfect shot.
Florianópolis municipal Civil Defense has banned all access to the site, placing signs to warn visitors of the danger.
The Municipal Environmental Foundation of Florianópolis posted warnings along the trail, stating: “Closed due to the precarious conditions, the possibility of rockfalls and erosion.”
Officials hope these signs will help prevent any fatal accidents, especially as the summer season approaches and crowds visit the area in the capital of Santa Catarina.
Further studies will be conducted to determine whether the site can be safely reopened and to assess how much weight the rock can support.
It comes after star gymnast Natalie Stichova, 23, died while taking a selfie at a fairytale castle in Germany.
The athlete was trying to take a snap at the site which inspired Disney‘s Sleeping Beauty when she fell 262ft to her death.
And elsewhere, tourist Inessa Polenko also died when she fell while taking a selfie on a clifftop viewing platform.
The 39-year-old climbed over a barrier before falling onto the beach below in Georgia.
A 2021 study found that 330 people a year die from taking selfies – with cliff falls, electrocutions and drownings among the causes of death.
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