Couple plunges to death at Yosemite's Taft Point
Investigators are looking into the death of a couple who plunged off of Yosemite National Park's Taft Point.
An Irish politician is calling for the installation of “selfie seats” at potentially-treacherous tourist hotspots amid a rise in selfie-related accidents or deaths.
Last week, Jim Daly, a Minister of State at Ireland’s Department of Health with special responsibility for Mental Health and Older People, told the Southern Star that he’s proposed the implementation of “selfie seats” to the National Tourism Development Authority of Ireland. Daly's pitch also coincides with increased concern over selfie-related deaths, which have reportedly been on the rise since 2011.
Daly's proposed plan would install the chairs at popular tourist destinations such as the Old Head of Kinsale, Mizen Head, the Beacon in Baltimore and the iconic Cliffs of Moher, pictured above. (iStock)
The politician's proposal also comes a month after Trinity College student Anand Goel fell to his death while reportedly taking a selfie at the Cliffs of Moher on Jan. 4, Irish Central reports.
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Daly claims that chairs, dubbed “selfie seats” by Lonely Planet and the Irish Mirror, would provide a more "steady" way for tourists to snap photos. The Mirror added that Daly feels the seats would also boost tourism while preventing tragedy.
On Jan. 4, Trinity College student Anand Goel fell to his death while trying to take a selfie at the Cliffs of Moher, Irish Central reports. (Anand Goel/Facebook)
“Families and individuals love taking photographs of themselves in areas of natural beauty. But often it is almost impossible to find a steady location or to know where the best shot is,” he told the Star. “Tourists, being time sensitive, like to know where to go and what to do. They also like clear shots rather than grainy images on their social media and Instagram.”
Daly continued to drive his pitch with claims that selfie seats would be “high on practicality and light on costs, any stands will of be unobtrusive and protect the character of the area.”
The minister said that locales such as the Old Head of Kinsale, Mizen Head, the Beacon in Baltimore and the Lough Hyne woods, in addition to the iconic Cliffs of Moher, would be ideal places to install the chairs.
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Likewise, as an increasing number of people have died over the last few years in selfie-related accidents, some researchers are now calling for “no-selfie zones” at tourist locations across the globe to prevent people from partaking in risky behavior for the sake of the perfect photo.
According to a 2018 study published in the Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, at least 259 people died from October 2011 to November 2017 while snapping selfies, with the highest number occurring amongst 20 to 29-year-olds — with 72.5 percent being male.
Ankit's friend is now circulating a photo of the 20-year-old student just before his fatal fall, as a warning to others. (Sahil Khenchi Facebook)
In May, a student and tourist to Australia also fell to his death while taking photos at a popular ocean cliff tourist attraction. And in late September, a California woman visiting the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Michigan fell to her death while said to be taking a selfie, according to National Park Service officials. She was believed to be hiking alone at the time of the accident.
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The bodies of Vishnu Viswanath, 29, and Meenakshi Moorthy, 30, were located Thursday. (Facebook)
In October, a “travel-obsessed” Indian couple was attempting to take a selfie when they plunged to their deaths at a popular overlook in Yosemite National Park — just months after the duo wrote about having boundaries while taking travel photos.
Fox News’ Michelle Gant, Katherine Lam and Madeline Farber contributed to this report.