PARIS: Two American tourists were found sleeping at the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, having apparently spent the night there after eluding security the previous night, according to the monument’s operator.
The security guards found the men “early in the morning” while conducting their rounds. This happened before the Eiffel Tower’s official opening at 9:00 am. The tourists were positioned in an area between the tower’s second and third levels. This region is typically not accessible to the public. The incident was deemed not to pose an immediate threat.
The Americans, who appeared to be heavily intoxicated, had entered the tower by purchasing an entry ticket around 10:40 pm on Sunday. Subsequently, they evaded security barriers while descending the stairs from the tower’s highest point.
Firefighters, including a specialized unit for rescuing individuals from dangerous heights, were dispatched to retrieve the unauthorized visitors. Both men were taken to a police station in Paris’ seventh district for questioning. The publicly-owned Eiffel Tower operator, Sete, announced its intention to file a criminal complaint in response to the incident.
The discovery of these intruders led to a delay of around an hour in the tower’s opening to the public on Monday morning.
It’s worth noting that the Eiffel Tower had also experienced two bomb threats on the preceding Saturday, leading to evacuations. Authorities are currently investigating these threats. Additionally, on Monday, an email containing a bomb threat against the 330-meter (1,080 feet) steel tower was sent to three Paris police stations. However, the police advised against evacuating the tower in response to this threat.
