A French helicopter rescued a girl who climbed up the Eiffel Tower on Monday. This is the second incident at the Parisian landmark in two days.

"/> A French helicopter rescued a girl who climbed up the Eiffel Tower on Monday. This is the second incident at the Parisian landmark in two days.

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HELICOPTER

Helicopter rescues girl on Eiffel Tower

A French helicopter rescued a girl who climbed up the Eiffel Tower on Monday. This is the second incident at the Parisian landmark in two days.

Published: 27 June 2012 09:09 CEST
Helicopter rescues girl on Eiffel Tower
Robert S. Donovan

The young woman began her ascent of the Eiffel Tower by climbing up scaffolding around the western pillar of the tower. Witnesses told French daily Le Parisien that the woman was stuck for an hour on Monday Morning hanging to steel monument.

Firemen climbed up the western and northern pillars to assist the young woman but did not feel confident enough to approach her.

A helicopter belonging to the elite firemen’s intervention force the GRIMP was then sent to the site to save the woman.

The helicopter hovered near its northern pillar, lowered a fireman to pick up the woman and returned her to safety.

It’s not clear why the young woman tried to climb up the Eiffel Tower. Witnesses say she was barefoot and it’s believed she may have wanted to commit suicide.

Her attempt comes a day after a man climbed up the tower and jumped to his death.

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PARIS

Fluffy nuisance: Outcry as Paris sends Invalides rabbits into exile

Efforts to relocate wild rabbits that are a common sight on the lawns of the historic Invalides memorial complex have provoked criticism from animal rights groups.

Published: 14 February 2024 13:01 CET
Fluffy nuisance: Outcry as Paris sends Invalides rabbits into exile

Tourists and Parisians have long been accustomed to the sight of wild rabbits frolicking around the lawns of Les Invalides, one of the French capital’s great landmarks.

But efforts are underway to relocate the fluffy animals, accused of damaging the gardens and drains around the giant edifice that houses Napoleon’s tomb, authorities said.

Police said that several dozen bunnies had been captured since late January and relocated to the private estate of Breau in the Seine-et-Marne region outside Paris, a move that has prompted an outcry from animal rights activists.

“Two operations have taken place since 25 January,” the police prefecture told AFP.

“Twenty-four healthy rabbits were captured on each occasion and released after vaccination” in Seine-et-Marne, the prefecture said.

Six more operations are scheduled to take place in the coming weeks.

Around 300 wild rabbits live around Les Invalides, according to estimates.

“The overpopulation on the site is leading to deteriorating living conditions and health risks,” the prefecture said.

Authorities estimate the cost of restoring the site, which has been damaged by the proliferation of underground galleries and the deterioration of gardens, pipes and flora, at €366,000.

Animal rights groups denounced the operation.

The Paris Animaux Zoopolis group said the rabbits were being subjected to “intense stress” or could be killed “under the guise of relocation”.

“A number of rabbits will die during capture and potentially during transport,” said the group, accusing authorities of being “opaque” about their methods.

The animal rights group also noted that Breau was home to the headquarters of the Seine-et-Marne hunting federation.

The police prefecture insisted that the animals would not be hunted.

In 2021, authorities classified the rabbits living in Paris as a nuisance but the order was reversed following an outcry from animal groups who have been pushing for a peaceful cohabitation with the animals.

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