To the Editor:
Deaths from accidental trauma have received limited exposure in the wilderness medicine and travel medicine literature. 1 An analysis of deaths occurring on Half Dome in Yosemite National Park revealed suicide as a cause of death in 26% of fatalities, prompting a renewed focus on suicide prevention at this popular hiking destination. 2 The recent death at the Cliffs of Moher on the Atlantic coast of Ireland, of a young Indian man studying at an Irish university, reminds us of the dangers of exposed wilderness settings such as coastal cliffs. The victim was witnessed to have fallen from the 214 m (702 ft) cliffs in the midafternoon, apparently having lost his footing while taking a photographic selfie. 3 Retrieval of the body involved the use of a rescue helicopter winchman being lowered to the water below the cliffs. We wish to focus attention on the risks associated with dangerous cliff-edge self-photography, which is a relatively new phenomenon that has arisen with the widespread use of handheld smartphones to capture images.
A previous report identified 66 deaths over a 25-y period at the Cliffs of Moher, 4 which attracts over a million visitors each year, many from overseas (Figure 1). Suicide was a probable factor in up to half of the deaths but, with most deaths not being witnessed, this was impossible to establish with certainty. Selfie taking at the cliff edge was considered a likely precipitant of some of the fatal falls in this series based on eyewitness accounts and images posted on social media before the victims’ deaths. The inherent instability of cliff edges, the typically windy weather at that location, and the unfamiliarity of many visitors with the physical dangers of coastal environments were discussed. 4
The dramatic 214 m high, 8 km long Cliffs of Moher in County Clare, Ireland (courtesy of Gerard Flaherty).
Despite multiple visual warnings on the cliff path and the presence of cliff rangers who enforce safety standards, dangerous cliff-edge photography is still frequently observed. Selfies have added a new dimension to the risks of photography at natural sites with precipitous drops, such as the Half Dome and the Cliffs of Moher. The depth disorientation which selfie taking can produce, 5 especially when the subjects face inland with their backs to the drop, may be an important factor in cliff-edge falls. 5
Perceived social pressure to capture the most impressive images for one's social media account has likely led to deaths while taking selfie images at various precarious locations around the world, including railway tracks, bridges, and in the vicinity of wild animals at safari parks. 5 A study of media reports of selfie deaths over a 6-y period identified 259 deaths in 137 incidents. 6 Risky behavior in young males was determined to have contributed to the majority of fatalities. The investigators recommended the declaration of “no selfie zones” in tourist sites such as mountain peaks and bodies of water. 6 In a 2.5-y period, another study described 75 deaths of people attempting to take selfies. 7 The average age of victims was 23 y, with the vast majority being male. India was the most affected country, with Russia and the United States ranking second overall. 7
To date, apart from the creation of no-selfie zones and the erection of warning signage in public places, there have been no reports of successful interventions aimed at preventing dangerous selfie taking. Rangers at the Cliffs of Moher have been employed to ensure that safety notices are respected and to watch for signs of distress in visitors. With advances in smartphone technology, based on the global positioning system location or altitude of the tourist, we propose that there may be scope for providing verbal safety messages to individuals with their phone in camera mode, warning them that they are too close to a vertical drop. In such cases, the camera function may be disabled until the person moves away from the dangerous no selfie zone. We await the application of artificial intelligence and augmented reality technology as a possible safety measure in these settings. This most recent tragic selfie-related death at the Cliffs of Moher should remind us of our obligations as wilderness medicine providers to routinely counsel tourists who are planning to visit exposed environments of the risks of taking selfies too close to the edge.