(CNN) – An American tourist fell into the crater of Vesuvius in an attempt to retrieve his mobile phone over the weekend, Italian police told CNN on Monday.
The 23-year-old Baltimore man was hiking down an unauthorized path accompanied by three relatives Saturday morning, Naples provincial command carabinieri said. Two British tourists were also seen walking along the forbidden path.
After the fall, the man only reported a few bruises on his hands, arms and back.
He was treated by an ambulance that arrived at the scene but did not want to go to the hospital, police said.
The road showed clear signs warning of danger and a ban on access, according to the body, which added that the prosecutor will decide whether to proceed with a formal complaint against them for invading public territory.
The last eruption of Vesuvius took place in 1944. It is still active, but is at rest, according to the Vesuvius National Park website.
The highest peak on the mountain reaches 1,277 meters (4,190 feet), while the crater is 450 meters (1,476 feet) in diameter and 300 meters (984 feet) deep, the national park website adds.
Vesuvius had been a latent volcano for centuries before erupting in 79 AD, burying cities such as Pompeii, Oplontis and Stabiae under the ashes.
Pompeii was submerged under a layer of 23-foot-deep volcanic debris, which preserved the ruins from the damaging effects of weather and climate. It has since become a popular tourist destination as well as a rich place of study for archaeologists.