A 33-year-old man plunged nearly 40ft to his death after he lost his balance while taking a selfie in Brazil.
Igor de Oliveira Rodrigues Dias, a Logistics analyst, fell from a rock overlooking Joatinga Beach in Rio de Janeiro on the afternoon of November 10.
Dias Died After Losing His Balance, Hitting His Head on a Rock
"In the morning he had signed a contract with a company he wanted to work for," said his mother Luiza Rodrigues, 60. "So he went out with a friend to have a little celebration on the beach."
The celebration turned tragic after the thrill-seeker decided to scale a massive rock overlooking the beach, so he could take a selfie. During the ill-fated photo op, Dias lost his balance and ended up plunging 40 feet to the ground, where he hit his head on a rock.
Firefighters arrived shortly after, whereupon they pronounced Dias dead at the scene and airlifted his body out of the area via helicopter.
'He Had His Whole Life Ahead of Him'
Igor's family was devastated over his loss. "He was an only child, he studied, he had a whole life ahead of him," Luiza described her son, who notably graduated from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and notched two post-graduate qualifications.
Igor's bereaved father, Jonas Dias, added, "He died before me, and I don't accept that. I think that every son has to bury his father, and not the father bury his son. It was a tragedy."
Following the tragic accident, authorities issued a PSA warning the public against snapping high-altitude glamour shots for social media clout.
"We always have to be safe: Never get close to the edge of the rocks. Ask someone to take a picture, if necessary," cautioned Rio de Janeiro Fire Department spokesman Fabio Contreiras. "Always seek safety first. Don't risk your life for likes."
Earlier this month, a Turkish teen plunged to her death while attempting to snap a selfie on the rooftop of a building, as previously reported.
