This footage was filmed and produced 4 December 2023.

A group of tourists fell into a murky, cold canal in Venice when the gondola in which they were travelling capsized after they failed to heed an order to stop taking selfies and sit down.

The gondolier, who had been attempting a tricky manoeuvre as he navigated the vessel under a bridge close to the area of St Mark’s Square, also ended up in the water before scrambling to rescue his passengers.

According to reports in the local press, the group from China had been shifting around the gondola and taking selfies against the backdrop of the lagoon city’s famous sites when the incident, which was captured on video and shared widely online, happened.

The gondolier’s manoeuvre under the bridge required the maximum balance of weight onboard, but the passengers reportedly ignored his orders to sit down and instead continued to stand up and take photos, thus tipping the boat over.

After the incident the group was brought to safety and provided with “hospitality and warmth” in the nearby La Fenice theatre.