Michelle Alejandra Rubio Leiva: US tourist falls to her death off cliff in Italy trying to take picture

A US tourist has plunged to her death off an Italian cliff during a bid to take a holiday snap.

Florida woman Michelle Alejandra Rubio Leiva was on holiday in the the Dolomites when tragedy struck, Metro reports.

The 36-year-old was in the alpine valley known as the Val di Fassa on October 17 with her family, who were all hiking to a cable car station set to connect them to a renowned restaurant at the summit of Sass Pordoi.

However, when she briefly left the designated walking path to take a picture she reportedly lost her footing and plunged 1000 feet (304m) to her death, according to CNN.

Family members who witnessed Leiva’s fall called emergency services for help at midday, sparking a desperate air rescue mission.

However, medics’ worst fears were realised when they reached Leiva and she was pronounced dead. Her body was eventually recovered two and a half hours after her fatal fall with her death announced publicly days later.

Her shattered family members were flown to nearby sky resort Canazei during the recovery mission.

Their intended eating destination at Sass Pordoi can only be reached by cable car.

Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Italy’s Dolomites are famous for their stunning views and lofty peaks. The alpine region’s highest peak, Marmolada, has a peak elevation of 10,968 feet or 3343m.

However, the area’s resurgence via social media tourism has had a deadly knock-on effect given its often treacherous hiking tracks.

CNN reports that more than 80 people have died in the Dolomites in 2026 so far.

That represents a four-fold increase on the average death toll for the region.

Leiva, a consulting and marketing professional, was based in Rome in recent years and was also understood to have done volunteer work.