Law enforcement units in Italy are reportedly seizing up to eight helicopters involved in tourist flights over Pompeii, the city devastated by a volcanic eruption in 79 AD.

An investigation by local prosecutors in Torre Annunziata, Naples, carried out an investigation which led officers to seize the aircraft after alleged flying rule violations by pilots.

Local outlet Il Mattino reports three helicopters have so far been detained by the Naples-based operational unit of the Guardia di Finanza (Finance Guard), at the request of the Oplontis Prosecutors Office

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 articles of the Italian Navigation Code which are alleged to have been broken are listed by broadcaster RTA as

• 1188 carrying out a flight activity for commercial purposes in the absence of the air operator’s certificate issued to the organizing company and the operating licence
• 1216 use, for profit, of aircraft not authorized for air navigation
• 1143 illegal use of aircraft for profit
• 1117 taking command of an aircraft by a person with only a private pilot’s license and the related qualification, and not the required professional qualification
• 1228 flying over the town of Pompeii, above a crowd of people, without complying with the provisions of the regulation, as well as throwing rose petals out of the aircraft in flight, at the end of a religious wedding ceremony, outside of cases of necessity and without the authorization of the National Civil Aviation Authority

Outlets including Ottopagine link the company Rotortech Srl to these allegations. Additional reporting shows two Italian registered Robinson R44 helicopters in use

Reports have also cited a flight where white petals were thrown from a helicopter by pilots to celebrate a Pompeii wedding without authorisation from the Italian aviation authority ENAC.

Pompeii attracts around 4 million visitors per year to see the city remains which were well preserved by the thick ash layer. There is a daily limit of 20,000 visitors, but this figure is rarely reached.

About a third of the site has yet to be excavated. It continues to be of huge interest to archaeologists, providing the most complete picture of daily Roman life anywhere in the world.