Daredevil tourists have been told to stop cliff-jumping in Italy days after a man plunged on to rocks to his death at a popular beauty spot.
Francesco Aronica, a 23-year-old American football player, died after hitting his head when he jumped off a rocky cliff at the famous Lama Monachile cove.
Originally from Catania, in Sicily, he was on holiday with his friends when the tragedy unfolded on Sunday afternoon in the southern coastal town of Polignano a Mare.
The death of Aronica has sparked a furious reaction from residents who are demanding more surveillance and patrols to prevent risktakers from attempting similar stunts.
Many have been inspired by the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series – an annual event established in 2009 where competitors dive from heights up to 27 metres and post the jaw-dropping feats online.
Footage from the series is popular on social media, with the deadliest stunts attracting millions of views on TikTok.
During the six-metre jump, Aronica struck his head on a rock before hitting the water and losing consciousness.
Onlookers watched in horror as he surfaced with a serious head injury at the front and top of his skull.
Emergency responders arrived quickly and defibrillated him at the tourist hotspot in Italy’s south-eastern Apulia region.
Defibrillation continued as he was rushed in critical condition to a hospital in nearby Monopoli.
By the time he arrived, Aronica was in cardiac arrest, as reported by NeedToKnow.
Doctors spent more than an hour attempting to resuscitate him, but were unable to save him and he died in hospital.
Anna De Donato, the president of Polignano a Mare’s town council, said residents were in shock but that it was impossible to stop people jumping off the cliff.
‘It is a different thing when the professionals do it, they have the equipment, the support’ Ms De Donato told The Telegraph.
‘The tourists need to pay attention and avoid being reckless. I am a mother with a son of the same age and I know they don’t listen to their parents’ advice.’
The town’s mayor, Vito Carrieri, said the swift medical response was ‘not enough to prevent the tragedy’.
Less than 24 hours after the incident, the cliff was reportedly once again crowded with young people diving into the sea.
But residents are calling for the authorities to do more to prevent similar accidents, such as introducing lifeguards or banning cliff jumping altogether.
‘The municipality should ban this,’ one Italian commented on social media. ‘A boy died! If it’s dangerous it’s better to avoid it.’
‘I’m so sorry for the family. It’s the fault of the police who don’t put the ban in place,’ another wrote.
‘The municipality could do something to prevent people from climbing there,’ a third commented.
The incident comes amid a surge in fatalities related to drowning in Italy this summer, with a death occurring every two days in lakes and rivers.
In 2023, Venice’s Mayor Luigi Brugnaro branded a man an ‘idiot’ after he jumped off a three-story building into a canal.
The clip went viral on social media, showing the diver – wearing only boxer shorts – jumping from a rooftop into the water and landing on his stomach.
The mayor said he would give the diver a ‘certificate of stupidity and a lot of kicks’ for the stunt.
‘He risked his life in that jump, but he is also a delinquent. They don’t understand the danger they create in this city. What if a boat would have been passing below?’ Mr Brugnaro said.
Last year, a 22-year-old British tourist drowned in an Italian lake after getting into difficulty while on holiday with his girlfriend.
Sam Rigby is believed to have been swimming in Lake Como in the Lombardy region of northern Italy with girlfriend Olivia Greenall when he began struggling in the strong currents.
Earlier in August, two Vietnamese tourists drowned after they were swept into the sea by strong winds on Sarakiniko Beach on the Greek island of Milos.
According to the Greek authorities, the couple were in their 50s and had arrived to the island as part of a cruise ship group.
Nicknamed ‘Ciccio’, Aronica was a talented athlete and played American football for the Catania Elephants in his home town.
In a moving tribute, a club spokesperson said: ‘Francesco was not just a teammate: he was a friend, a brother, part of our family.
‘His passion, energy, and smile will forever remain in the hearts of all who were lucky enough to know him.’