Tourist had strayed off visitor path and was not seriously injured.

A 23-year-old American tourist fell into the crater of Mount Vesuvius, the volcano looming over Naples, Italian media reports.

The incident occurred on Saturday after the tourist and three of his relatives decided to bypass the visitor entrance to the volcano and take a forbidden route to the summit.

• Mount Vesuvius, one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world

The man, who fell several metres into the crater after losing his balance, was rescued by carabinieri and received treatment for his light injuries from emergency services.

The tourist and his family were then cited by police, along with two other visitors, for taking the prohibited route which was clearly marked as being highly dangerous and out-of-bounds.