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A pair of ‘overbearing imbeciles’ have sparked fury in Venice by speeding down the city’s famous Grand Canal on £20,000 electric hydrofoils.
The two Australians whizzed along the main thoroughfare in the centre of the UNESCO World Heritage Site yesterday morning, shocking tourists and locals.
Footage showed one of the surfers taking photos on his phone before he fell into the canal waters.
The Italian city’s mayor Luigi Brugnaro called for the pair to be punished and even offered a free dinner to anyone who identified them.
He said: ‘Here are two overbearing imbeciles who make a mockery of the City.
A pair of ‘overbearing imbeciles’ have sparked fury in Venice by speeding down the city’s famous Grand Canal on £20,000 electric hydrofoils
The duo zoomed past the city’s famous monuments lining the canal as shocked locals watched on
The two men whizzed along the main thoroughfare in the centre of the UNESCO World Heritage Site yesterday morning, shocking tourists and locals
‘I ask everyone to help us identify them to punish them even if our weapons are really blunt… we urgently need more powers to the Mayors in terms of public safety!
‘To those who spot them, I offer a dinner!’
In a later tweet, the mayor said: ‘Speaking of the two “heroes” of this morning, we have identified them!
‘The two boards have already been confiscated and soon, without giving further details, those responsible will be in our arms: they will be charged as they deserve!
‘Thank you all for your cooperation.’
The pair were fined 3,000 Euros each for endangering the safety of navigation along the canal and were also expelled from the city, local reports said.
The Italian city’s mayor Luigi Brugnaro called for the pair to be punished and even offered a free dinner to anyone who identified them
The pair were fined for endangering the safety of navigation along the canal and were also expelled from the city, local reports said
Surfing, paddle boarding and canoeing are all banned on the iconic Grand Canal, which is often lined with gondolas, tourists boats and water taxis
Footage showed one of the surfers taking photos on his phone before he fell into the canal waters
They face additional charges for allegedly damaging the image of the city.
Surfing, paddle boarding and canoeing are all banned on the iconic Grand Canal, which is often lined with gondolas, tourists boats and water taxis.
Foil surfboards often have electric-powered propellers built into the board.
It is the latest in a spate of incidents in Italy where tourists have angered locals by using vehicles in historic sites.
Earlier this month, an Australian tourist was arrested after he was caught riding his moped through the ancient ruins of Pompeii.
An Australian tourist, 33, has been charged in Italy, accused of driving his moped through the ancient city of Pompeii (pictured)
The ‘barbarian’, reported to be 33-years-old, was apprehended by security after travelling for about a mile around the world-famous archaeological park.
The tourist claimed he didn’t know that he wasn’t allowed to drive through the 2,000-year-old site which was famously destroyed by a volcanic eruption in 79 AD.
The UNESCO world heritage site does not allow tourist vehicles, and fortunately in this case the park confirmed no parts of the ancient city were accessed or damaged.
The man has since been charged with ‘unauthorised access’.
The park said in a statement: ‘The route taken is a dirt road outside the ancient city walls, used by site vehicles for excavation works.
‘It is safe, restored, and not accessible to the public. So there was no danger for either visitors or for the archaeological heritage at any point.’
Earlier this year and woman and a male friend caused damage to the Spanish Steps in Rome with their rental scooters, after the woman hurled the vehicle down the steps
Earlier this year, two American tourists caused €25,000 of damage at the Spanish Steps in Rome by throwing e-scooters down them.
In June, 28-year-old woman and 29-year-old man were fined €400 (£338) each after they were caught on camera ‘purposely’ launching a scooter down the 18th-century Trinità de Monti staircase.
Rome’s heritage protection body said it caused fractures to the 16th and 29th steps of the right-hand staircase.
Due to the woman intentionally pushing her scooter down the stairs, a more formal complaint was filed against her for damaging the sacred stairwell – an offense punishable by up to one year in jail or a fine of at least €2,050.
A Saudi Arabian man was charged earlier this year for attempting to drive his rented Maserati down the stairs, breaking off a chunk of the travertine stone.