Overview
- The victim was identified by the Japanese embassy as Morimasa Hibino, 69, who was found about seven meters below street level in the Pantheon’s ditch.
- A passing priest alerted authorities, and firefighters forced open a gate on Via della Palombella to reach the area, where Hibino was pronounced dead.
- Police say he had been sitting on the parapet before losing his balance, and they have secured footage from the monument’s CCTV and a nearby shop for the inquiry.
- The Pantheon was closed at the time of the incident, and Rome police report no signs of foul play.
- The death follows other serious tourist accidents this year as record visitor numbers focus attention on safety at Rome’s historic sites.