Japanese tourist dies after fall from Pantheon outer wall in Rome

A 69-year-old Japanese tourist, identified by the Japanese embassy as Morimasa Hibino, died on Friday evening after falling from the outer wall of the Pantheon in central Rome, officials said. The incident occurred at about 9:50 p.m. local time on Via della Palombella, when Hibino fell roughly seven metres, or about 22 feet, into the moat-like ditch that surrounds the ancient monument.

Emergency services, including medics, local police and firefighters, responded to the scene after a passing priest discovered the man lying in the ditch and alerted authorities. Firefighters had to force open an external gate to reach the area. Paramedics conducted resuscitation efforts, but Hibino was declared dead at the site, according to police statements. The Pantheon was closed at the time of the incident.

Police said they are investigating the circumstances of the fall and have obtained surveillance footage from cameras near the monument. Early findings indicate Hibino had been sitting on the parapet that protects the Pantheon’s perimeter shortly before he fell. His daughter, who was accompanying him, told investigators her father had been overcome by a sudden illness and felt dizzy prior...