15-8-2023 (PARIS) In an audacious act, two American tourists were discovered sleeping atop Paris’ iconic Eiffel Tower on Monday (Aug 14) after successfully evading security the previous night, according to the tower’s operator.
The security guards encountered the slumbering men “early in the morning” during their routine rounds before the Eiffel Tower’s scheduled opening at 9 am (3 pm, Singapore time), stated Sete, the publicly-owned operator of the Eiffel Tower.
Authorities informed AFP that the individuals “seem to have gotten stuck due to their intoxication,” highlighting the influence of alcohol on their actions.
The intoxicated Americans had spent their illicit night under the open sky in an area typically off-limits to the public, situated between the Eiffel Tower’s second and third levels. However, Sete assured that they did not pose an apparent threat.
According to a police source, the pair purchased entry tickets around 10:40 pm on Sunday and then proceeded to bypass security barriers while descending the tower’s stairs from the top. Firefighters, including a specialized unit trained in rescuing individuals from perilous heights, were dispatched to retrieve the trespassers.
Both men were taken to the police station in Paris’ seventh district for questioning, while Sete announced its intention to file a criminal complaint.
The discovery of the nocturnal infiltrators resulted in a delay in opening the tower to the public on Monday morning, causing an approximately one-hour delay.
The Eiffel Tower faced additional challenges over the weekend when two bomb threats prompted an evacuation of the landmark. Authorities are currently conducting an investigation into the incidents.
On Monday, a subsequent email containing a bomb threat against the 330-meter steel tower was sent to three Paris police stations. However, the police advised against evacuating the premises.
