A pair of allegedly drunk American tourists caused an international uproar when they were found sleeping in a closed area of the Eiffel Tower Monday. The two had apparently had a wild night of celebration in Paris before being locked inside the iconic landmark.
Security guards were walking through their morning routine before the tower’s 9 a.m. opening when they found the two. They were reportedly sleeping off the previous night’s merriment.
The men were in an area between the landmark’s second and third levels that is usually off-limits to the public.
A Paris prosecutor explained that the tourists appeared to have been trapped “because of how drunk they were.” Officials believe they purchased tickets to enter the monument around 10:40 p.m. Sunday.
But instead of following the usual path taken by visitors, they scaled security barriers while descending from the top platform. That level is elevated 905 feet.
Two Americans became stuck inside the Eiffel Tower during a night out.https://t.co/xsXJ99MODO
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) August 16, 2023
City firefighters were scrambled to the scene. They were accompanied by a special unit formed to recover people caught in dangerous heights, which may be more common at the site than publicly acknowledged.
Both were transported to the seventh district police headquarters for questioning.
A criminal complaint is expected against the pair despite officials saying they “did not pose any apparent threat.” The opening of the Eiffel Tower was delayed for roughly an hour as the two Americans were led away.
The incident came just two days after the world famous tourist attraction was evacuated twice in one day over what officials determined to be false bomb threats.
French authorities reported two postings warning of explosive devices at the site were made on a gaming site and a platform for communication between civilians and the local police.
And in February, Fox News DIgital reported that two female Brazilian tourists were allegedly attacked as they visited the Eiffel Tower. The victims said they met two men hours before going to the landmark. The alleged incident occurred between the tower and the Paris military training grounds.
The Eiffel Tower is one of the world’s foremost attractions. Built in the 1880s, it drew 5.8 million visitors last year.
