A US tourist had to be rescued by Italian emergency services after dropping his phone into the crater of a famous Italian volcano.

23-year-old tourist identified as Philip Carroll was on a family trip to Naples when it is believed that they took a detour through a forbidden part of the volcano.

At 1219 metres Vesuvius is a popular hiking destination. It is best known for destroying the Roman city of Pompeii in 79 AD, but access is restricted across parts of the still active volcanic site. The crater is off-limits to visitors. However, local media reported that Carroll had been using his camera phone to document the hike when he dropped it into the volcano.

The situation only got worse after Carroll lost his balance trying to retrieve the device. After falling several metres into the volcano, his family called for help when it was clear he needed rescuing.

Vesuvius: Warnings and barriers are in place on the volcano. Photo / Victor Malyushev, Unsplash

Mountain guides were first to respond to the situation, abseiling in to rescue the injured tourist. They were assisted by a police helicopter.

Paolo Cappelli, president of the Presidio Permanente Vesuvio mountain guides, told NBC they were summoned at around 3pm on Saturday.

Capelli told local Neapolitan newspaper Il Mattino that they deployed a team of four guides to rescue the trapped tourist, who had fallen 15 metres into the crater.

"This morning a tourist for reasons still to be determined [...] together with his family, ventured on a forbidden path on the edge of the crater and fell into the mouth of Vesuvius," local tourism official Gennaro Lametta wrote to Facebook.

Instead of the mountain-top selfie it is assumed the tourist was pursuing, Lametta included a photo of the tourists injuries to his back and elbows - cut on the abrasive, volcanic rock.

The tourist was treated for his wounds but refused treatment at a nearby hospital.

To add insult to injury local police said the family were taken into custody. They now face charges of entering a forbidden area on the volcano and ignoring signage.
While guided trips into the volcano can be arranged, the group were found to be without guides or tickets for the difficult volcanic climb.

Though the volcano has remained dormant since its last eruption in 1944 the area is still extremely active, and poses dangers to unprepared visitors.

Herculanium, one of the Roman towns wiped out by eruptions in 79AD, with Vesuvius in the background. Photo / Tom Podmore, Unsplash

In 2017 an 11-year-old and parents were killed on the neighbouring volcano, Solfatara di Pozzuoli. It is believed the boy fell into the crater after being overwhelmed by sulphurous fumes. His parents were killed trying to rescue their child, when the crater collapsed.

Capelli, who spoke with the rescuers involved in the operation, is convinced that the mountain guides saved the tourist's life.