Japanese tourist falls to death at Pantheon in Rome

Local media reports the 69-year-old had been sitting on a wall when he lost his balance.

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Morimasa Hibino is said to have fallen from a height of about seven metres (22.9 ft) at around 21:50 local time (19:50 GMT). A priest who was passing by alerted the police when he saw the man lying in the ditch, according to local newspaper la Repubblica.

Emergency services and firefighters reportedly had to force open a gate outside the ancient Roman temple, before finding the man dead in a ditch.

An investigation is under way to determine the cause of the death.

The man was sitting on the edge of the wall, lost his balance and fell, la Repubblica reported, citing police.