Gina Heslop
Since 2011, more than 250 people have lost their lives trying to capture the perfect selfie, according to researchers at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences.
They analyzed incidents from October 2011 to November 2017, identifying 137 separate events worldwide resulting in fatalities.
India recorded the highest number of selfie-related deaths, followed by Russia, the United States, and Pakistan.
The leading cause of death was drowning, followed by incidents involving transportation, like taking a selfie in front of a moving train, and falling from heights. Other causes included encounters with animals, firearms, and electrocution.
The number of selfie-related deaths rose sharply from just two in 2011 to 98 in 2016 but slightly decreased to 93 in 2017.
However, these figures might be higher since researchers relied on English-language news reports, possibly missing incidents not covered by anglophone media.
Six tragic examples illustrate the dangers of selfie-taking:
- In Bangkok, a 24-year-old Thai woman was hit and killed by a train while posing on railway tracks with a friend. They were intoxicated and didn’t notice the approaching train.
- A 21-year-old man in Spain climbed on top of a stationary train to take a selfie with friends and accidentally touched a high-voltage power cable, electrocuting himself.
- A Polish couple living in Portugal fell off a cliff while trying to capture a selfie. They crossed a safety barrier, leading to their tragic fall. Their children witnessed the incident but were unharmed.
- In Mexico, a 21-year-old man accidentally shot himself while posing with a handgun for a selfie. The firearm discharged, fatally injuring him.
- A Russian teenager attempted to take a dramatic photo on a railway bridge in St Petersburg but lost her balance, grabbing a live cable in the process. She suffered an electric shock and fell to her death.
- A woman in the United States crashed her car seconds after posting a selfie online while singing along to a song. The selfie captured her enjoyment of the music but tragically preceded a fatal accident.
