Death by selfie. It’s a real thing, look it up. So real that the National Institute of Health conducted a study in 2018, finding that from 2011 to 2017, there were 259 casualties involving selfies.
A woman in Bali almost added her name to that macabre list of social media fatalities, recently over the easter weekend, when she was nearly unalived by a rogue wave while filming herself at a popular tourist attraction. Travel influencer Katy Johnson was at Angel’s Billabong – a cliff shelf and scenic rock pool on Nusa Penida – when the wave swallowed her, and nearly swept her away.
See below.
Johnson lived to tell the tale, and what a yarn she spun:
“Easter Sunday in Bali really said, ‘You wanna meet Jesus today?’ Because I almost did. One rogue wave came crashing in at Angel’s Billabong like it had personal beef with me and nearly swept me right off the viewing platform and into the next life. Not the kind of baptism I signed up for!
“What started as a serene, fun moment turned into one of the scariest experiences of my life. At first, I laughed it off (you know, after my soul returned to my body), but learning that over a dozen tourists have actually died at this spot? That hit hard.”
Related: Psycho Cliff Diver Jumps 65-Foot Ledge in Bali (Video)
It’s not the first time tourists have got in trouble at this spot. In fact, tragically, last year a 59-year-old father of two, Nilesh Mukhi, was washed off the rocks while taking photos with his family. His wife was also washed into the sea; she was injured, but she was rescued swiftly. As for her husband, his body was found nearly 12 miles away, dead, the following day.
The spot has become notorious for close calls, and tragedies, like this. So much so that its meteoric rise in popularity, coincidentally alongside Instagram, has led many to call the place “cursed,”
As always, know your limits. Don’t underestimate mother nature. Ever.
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