Eek! Tourist knocks over museum statue while taking selfie

A Brazilian tourist caused "irreparable" damage to a statue after knocking it off its post while trying to take a selfie at a museum in Lisbon, Portugal.

The incident occurred at the National Museum of Ancient Art in Lisbon.

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The man fell backwards while trying to take the photo and knocked the sculpture of Saint Michael off its pedestal.

According to the Daily Mail, Jose Alberto Seabra Carvalho, a deputy director of the National Museum of Ancient Art, told local media: "I've been working in the museum for many years and cannot recall anything similar happening."

The Metro reports that Antonio Filipe Pimentel, the museum director, warned the authorities back in September that the institution was understaffed. He said: "There are only 64 people for 84 chambers open to public. I am very sure one day we will see hazards in the museum. It will happen because we're playing with our heritage."

The incident is reportedly being investigated.

Back in May, a similar incident occurred in Portugal when another selfie-taking tourist knocked down a 126-year-old statue of a Portuguese king.

According to Reuters, he accidentally toppled Dom Sebastiao's statue after climbing up to its pedestal outside the pretty Rossio railway station in central Lisbon to take a selfie with it.

He was arrested after trying to flee the scene.