# American tourist dies after falling from exposed Dolomites mountainside in Italy

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/florida-woman-36-falls-1000-feet-to-her-death-in-italy-after-stepping-off-path-to-take-photo-of-the-majestic-dolomites-mountain-range/
- Published: 2026-10-23T02:53:27+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-23T03:07:17+00:00
- Original publisher: Daily Mail (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16231297/Florida-woman-falls-death-Italy-photo-Dolomites.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
- Topics: Europe, World

## Key points

- A 36-year-old American tourist died after a fall in the Dolomites.
- She reportedly left a marked trail to reach a viewpoint.
- Rescuers airlifted her relatives and recovered her body.

## Summary

American tourist Michaelle Alejandra Rubio Leiva, 36, died after falling about 980 feet from an exposed mountainside in Italy’s Dolomites. She was trekking with relatives near Forcella Pordoi when she reportedly left the marked path to reach a viewpoint, highlighting the risks of straying onto steep, loose terrain.

Her sister alerted emergency services, and a nearby mountain rescuer helped guide an air ambulance to the site. Medical personnel were lowered onto the mountainside, but Leiva was pronounced dead there; her family was airlifted to Canazei as teams recovered her body. The group had been walking at roughly 9,000 feet towards a cable car station for Sass Pordoi. Leiva, who was born in Guatemala and worked in communications and consulting, moved to Rome in 2025.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.