A family vacation in northern Italy ended in tragedy when a 36-year-old American tourist fell down a steep mountain face in the Dolomites, Italy.
Michelle Alejandra Rubio Leiva, a marketing and business development professional from the Miami area, died Oct. 17 after stepping off a marked trail, local news outlets reported.
Rubio Leiva was hiking near Forcella Pordoi, an alpine pass with an altitude of roughly 9,000 feet, when she allegedly left the designated path to find a vantage point for a photograph, Italian national newspaper Corriere Della Sera said.
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She lost her footing and fell an estimated 1,000 feet down the slope in view of her sister, the outlet said.
An American woman “lost her life late this morning [Oct. 17] after falling for approximately 300 meters in the Forcella Pordoi area, at an altitude of about 2,750 meters,” the Trentino Alpine and Speleological Rescue, a volunteer rescue organization, told Fox News Digital in a statement, which was translated.
“The hiker was on vacation with her family when, at an exposed point, she slipped, plunging into the void below,” the translated statement continued.
The hiking group had been close to the upper cable-car station and originally planned to visit the Maria refuge on Sass Pordoi, local news outlet Il Dolomiti noted.
Witnesses called the emergency number, the Trentino Alpine and Speleological Rescue said.
While Italian media cited her attempt to take a picture, the official alpine rescue logs noted only that she slipped at an exposed point on the mountain.
The 112 control center dispatched the Alta Val di Fassa team of the Trentino Alpine and Speleological Rescue Service, alongside an air ambulance, according to the Record.
A mountain rescuer already in the vicinity went to the scene to provide the helicopter crew with exact coordinates, the rescue team’s statement said.
Medical personnel were lowered onto the mountainside by 12:30 p. m., where a doctor pronounced Rubio Leiva dead at the scene, according to Fox San Antonio.
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Her family members were airlifted to the nearby town of Canazei, Il Dolomiti said. Her body was retrieved by helicopter and handed over to local authorities, News.com.au said.
The Brigham Young University graduate worked as a manager for Rubio Contesse Advisors in Florida, according to Corriere della Sera, a major Italian newspaper.
In recent months, the Dolomites have come under scrutiny for the massive crowds stretching through shuttle lines as visitors wait to reach Tre Cime di Lavaredo, one of the most iconic destinations.
Viral videos have led to outrage online, with many commenters arguing that visitors were more interested in taking photos than enjoying the mountains, Fox News Digital previously reported.
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Tre Cime di Lavaredo draws visitors from around the world with its trio of mountain peaks.
The UNESCO-protected mountains are subject to the Enrosadira phenomenon, in which sunrise and sunset turn the rock walls a vibrant pink and orange, according to The Dolomites — UNESCO World Heritage Centre page.
Tre Cime di Lavaredo gets over 800,000 visitors per year, per the Tre Cime di Lavaredo Hike Guide.
Kelly McGreal of Fox News Digital contributed reporting.
