People Who Tragically Died While Trying to Take a Selfie

Ever since cells phones started coming with a camera, the most popular thing to do has been to take a selfie, a picture of yourself, and post in on Instagram, Twitter, and/or Facebook. But lately, people have been taking selfies to extreme levels in order to get more likes and viral acclaim for their photo. Sadly, a lot of these extreme selfies have lead to the people taking the photographs to be left in critical condition, or worse, to be killed in the act. The selfie deaths on this list are horrible, but they should be shared so no one else has to suffer a selfie injury for the sake getting a great photo. Remember, you can’t get likes if you’re dead. Put down your phone and read through this list of people who died while trying to take a selfie.
The amount of young people who have died taking a selfie is staggering. After reading through these stories of people who were injured while taking a selfie you’ll start to wonder how someone could be so careless. But think of all the weird things you’ve done to get that perfect shot. If you’re ever about to do something stupid for a selfie, just think about how you don’t want someone sat your funeral saying that you died taking a photo. The stories on this list of people who died while taking selfies should be shown to everyone with a smart phone. You don’t want to end up in intensive care, or worse, just because you had to get the perfect picture.

Man Dies Trying To Take Selfie With Bear

In May 2018, Odisha, India, Prabhu Bhatara tried to take a selfie with an injured bear while stopping at a bathroom on the way home from a wedding reception. Bhatara’s friends reportedly tried to deter him from taking the selfie, but he ignored the warnings and got up close to the animal for a picture. The bear quickly attacked and – despite attempts to intervene – Bhatara died on the spot. The bear was later treated for its injuries.

Man Shoots Himself in the Face

In 2016, a man from Concrete, Washington fatally shot himself in the face while trying to take a selfie. The 43-year-old (whose name was not released by the police) apparently thought the gun was unloaded. He and his girlfriend had taken several selfies with the weapon that day, and each time, the man unloaded the gun before the pictures, then reloaded it after (WHY?). 

Tourist Falls to His Death Taking a Selfie on the Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal is a place of great beauty, but when a Japanese tourist tried to capture himself in the beauty with the help of a selfie stick, he fell down a series of steps and died of head injuries at the local hospital.

19 Year Old Shoots Himself in the Face While Taking a Selfie

Deleon Smith, a 19 year old father of two from Houston, Texas, accidentally shot himself in the face while posing for a selfie with a gun. His family said that he was due to begin classes at a local community college within the month.

While Using a Selfie Stick, a Man Falls From a 100 Foot Cliff to His Death

A man being referred to as Mr. Chen, reportedly fell off  a waterfall in Zhejiang, eastern China at the beginning of September. He was found with a phone and a selfie stick at the bottom of a ravine. 

Polish Tourist Falls Off a Bridge While Talking a Selfie

When Polish medical student,  Sylwia Rajchel, visited Seville, Spain she tried to take a selfie on the Puente de Triana bridge just after midnight. She lost her footing and fell to her death. 

Pilot Takes Selfies Moments Before Crashing His Plane

In 2014, the 29-year-old pilot of a Cessna 150K in Colorado killed himself, and a passenger while taking selfies as he flew the plane. A GoPro camera mounted to the dash of the plane captured the pilot and his passengers taking photos and texting.

A Student in the Philippines Falls to Her Death While Taking Selfie

A 14 year old student fell to her death in July 2014 after she lost her balance while trying to take a selfie on the  staircase landing of their school in Pasig City. She fell down multiple flights of stairs, resulting in the severe cranial injuries that lead to her death.

Three College Students are Hit by a Moving Train During Selfie Session

In Mathura, India, three college students attempted to take a “daredevil selfie” of themselves standing on the train tracks as a speeding train approached. Their plan was to jump from the tracks, but their timing was severely off and they ended up being mowed down by a train.

Russian Woman Dies In Fall While Taking a Selfie on a Moscow Bridge

A 21-year-old graduate of the Russian State University of Tourism and Services Studies, tried to take selfie on a bridge that offered an excellent view of one of the famous landmarks of the Russian capital, but fell from the bridge while taking the photo. Reportedly, the reason for her death was a broken fence on the bridge that she leaned on while taking the photo.

Teen Dies Competing in Selfie Olympics

On January 3, 2015, 18-year-old Oscar Reyes attempted to take a photo of himself in his mother’s bathroom in order to follow up on a Spongebob Squarepants selfie he’d taken the day before. Around 2AM when he fell off her door and injured his head. He died from excessive bleeding.

Romanian Teen Bursts into Flames While Taking a Photo

In May 2015  Anna Ursu, a Romanian teenager, went to a train station in Iasi to take a selfie for Facebook. After lying on top of a parked train to take the photo, she kicked her leg up and the overhead cables sent 27,000 volts of electricity through her body, causing her to burst into flames. A passerby tried to save Anna’s life, but the 18-year-old later died in hospital with burns to 50 percent of her body.  

A Polish Couple Falls to Their Death as Their Children Watch

A Polish couple visiting Cabo de Roca, Portugal crossed a safety barrier in front of a cliff in order to take the perfect vacation selfie. They lost their footing and fell off the edge of a cliff as their children, aged 5 and 6, watched as their parents fell to their death.

A Man Dies While Talking a Selfie on Top of a Train

A 21-year-old man from Andujar, Andalusia Spain tried to take a photo of himself on top of a parked train was electrocuted to death after he accidentally touched a high-voltage wire while snapping the picture. The 21 year old was declared dead at the scene. 

Man Accidentally Shoots Himself in the Head While Taking Selfie

While attempting to take a selfie with a loaded gun, 21-year old Oscar Otero Aguilar, accidentally shot himself in the head. Before the incident, Otero Aguilar had been drinking with two of his friends in northern Mexico City. 

Woman Falls to her Death While Taking a Selfie on Her First Date

After flying 8,000 miles to South Africa to visit a girl he had met online, British photographer James Nichols watched as 21-year-old  Cheynee Holloway fell to her death from a cliff as they were setting up to take a photograph. 

A Woman Posts a Selfie to Facebook Moments Before Crashing Her Car

At 8:33am on April 26 2014, Courtney Sanford uploaded a selfie of herself to Facebook with the status “The Happy Song makes me so HAPPY.” At 8:34 she crossed a highway median and crashed head-on into a truck.

Teen Falls from a Railway Bridge After Attempting a Selfie

Xenia Ignatyeva, a 17 year old from St. Petersburg, plunged to her death while taking a picture on a railway bridge. As she fell she tried to grab onto a live wire and was hit with 1,500 volts of electricity before falling to the ground 30 feet below. 

An Indian Teen Dies While Trying to Take Selfie With a Moving Train

In May 2014, a 15 year old Indian boy named Edwin was killed after he tried to take a selfie with a quickly approaching train. He was rushed to the hospital, but didn’t survive. 

Puerto Rican Rapper Dies in Motorcycle Crash Immediately Following Selfie

While visiting his family in Rochester, New York a rapper by the name of Ramon Gonzalez (he performed as “Jadiel”) lost control of his motorcycle and ended up in the path of an oncoming vehicle directly after posting a selfie of himself riding his motorcycle. 

Two Men Blow Themselves Up While Taking Selfie

In Russia, two men died while attempting to take a selfie of themselves holding a hand grenade with the pin pulled out. The only thing that survived the blast was the mobile phone they used to take the photograph.

Seven People Drown in Picnic Selfie Accident

Seven young men died near Mangrul Lake in Kuhi Taluka, India while trying to take selfies on a boat. According to witnesses, some of the boys began standing on one side of the boat in order to get a better photo. When it ultimately tipped over, all seven men drowned. 

Man Falls 60 Feet When Selfie Rock Gives Way

An Indian engineering student named Prakash died after trying to take a selfie on a rock jutting out over the Koli Hills near Namakkal. The rock cracked while he was standing on it, and Prakash fell 60 feet to his death.

Students Die Taking Canal Selfie

Students Askshay Joshi, 22,  and Pratik Bhatt, 20, drowned trying to take selfies in front of the Narmada canal in Surendranagar, India. “Joshi and Bhatt were taking selfies and were trying to capture the flowing water behind them. But suddenly, Joshi’s leg slipped and he fell into the canal. Bhatt tried to save him, but he too fell into the water and both drowned,” an investigator explained.

Girls Fall Off Rocks in Mumbai and Drown

Selfie deaths in India occur much more frequently than anywhere else in the world. In 2016, three girls fell off of rocks near the Arabian Sea attempting to snap some selfies. All three girls drowned, as did a man who jumped in trying to save them. The Mumbai police later designated 15 different spots in the city where selfies would no longer be permitted.

Hiker Falls Off Hong Kong Mountain Snapping a Selfie

A hiker in Hong Kong fell almost 500 feet to his death after apparently losing his balance taking a selfie on the famous Lion Rock Hill. The mountain has no railings on the edge of the cliff, and the man moved too far out, falling off, and catching a clump of grass to hang on. Another group of hikers tried to get to him, but the man couldn’t hang on and fell. Authorities pronounced him dead at the scene.