Helicopters seized as ‘dangerous’ tours over Pompeii halted

Police in Italy have reportedly seized eight helicopters following “dangerous” tourist flights over the preserved Roman city of Pompeii.

An investigation by local prosecutors in Torre Annunziata, Naples, led officers to seize the aircraft after alleged violations of aviation rules by pilots, reported The Times.

The Operational Aeronaval Unit of the Guardia di Finanza of Naples has so far seized three helicopters at the request of the Oplontis Prosecutors Office, said local outlet Il Mattino.

Four people were found to have broken flying rules before November 2024, including placing tourist luggage on flight controls and operating tours over the ancient ruins near heavily populated areas such as schools and public transport.

The Italian city, an archaeological site buried in ash during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD79, is a major tourist draw in Italy, with nearly four million visitors in 2023.

Helicopter tours over Pompeii, Herculaneum and Vesuvius are offered by several companies in Italy, including Hoverfly and Helitaly.

According to investigators, helicopters – one linked to a legal representative of the company Rotortech – held private licences, so were not authorised to operate commercially.

Pilots must hold a license from the Italian Civil Aviation Authority (ENAC) to conduct commercial flights under Italian law.

Officials say several aircraft were flying unlicensed, had not undergone mandatory maintenance checks and were in areas where they did not have approval to operate.

White petals were also allegedly thrown from a helicopter by pilots to celebrate a Pompeii wedding without authorisation from ENAC.

The helicopter tours and “illegal activities” were deemed “extremely dangerous to public and private safety” said the public prosecutors' office.

A helicopter tour company whose sightseeing aircraft broke apart and crashed in New York, killing the pilot and a family of five from Spain, shut down operations earlier this month.

The FAA, in a statement posted on X, said it would launch an immediate review of New York Helicopter Tours’ operating license and safety record.

The move came hours after New York Senator Chuck Schumer had called on federal authorities to revoke the operating permits of New York Helicopter Tours.

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