Man Falls Asleep on Airport Baggage Belt, Goes Through X-Ray

A photo that appears to be of a man going through an airport X-ray machine is making the rounds on the Internet.

A Norwegian tourist fell asleep on a baggage belt at Rome's Fiumicino airport and traveled 160 feet before being identified by an X-ray scanner, The Telegraph reported.

The 36-year-old man, whose name has not been released, was due to check in for a flight to Oslo, but found no one on duty at the airline desk. He leapt across the counter and fell asleep on the baggage belt with his bag beside him, the paper reported. The man then traveled for 15 minutes through the secure baggage area before being spotted on an X-ray scanner by airport officials.

An airport police officer denied the incident showed cracks in security. And, it seems this kind of incident is not terribly unusual among "drunks or people with psychological problems." In fact, the paper reports the official as saying this kind of thing happens about once a year.

Italian newspaper la Repubblica reported the man was intoxicated. The man was reportedly carrying a backpack and a beer at the time of the incident. He was taken to a hospital because of exposure to the X-rays and is facing charges.

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