Two American tourists were discovered sleeping at the upper levels of the Eiffel Tower in Paris on Monday, having managed to evade security and spend the night inside the monument, the tower's operator confirmed on Tuesday.
According to the publicly-owned Eiffel Tower operator, Sete, security guards woke up the individuals "early in the morning" while conducting their routine rounds before the monument's 9 a.m. opening time.
Paris prosecutors informed AFP that the tourists "seem to have become trapped due to their level of intoxication."
Following the purchase of entry tickets around 10:40 PM on Sunday, the duo proceeded to bypass security barriers as they descended the stairs from the pinnacle of the tower, according to information provided by a police source.
To retrieve the unauthorized visitors, including the use of a specialized team for extracting individuals from hazardous heights, firefighters were dispatched, as per the same police source.
Both individuals were taken to a police station located in Paris' seventh district for questioning. Meanwhile, Sete announced its intention to lodge a criminal complaint.
The unexpected discovery of these nighttime intruders resulted in a delay of the tower's public opening on Monday by approximately an hour.
The landmark experienced two bomb threats on Saturday, leading to its evacuation. Law enforcement authorities are now engaged in an investigation.
On Monday, an additional email containing a bomb threat targeting the 330-meter (1080 feet) steel tower was sent to three Paris police stations. However, police advised against evacuating the tower.
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