Pompeii archeologists discover remains of two victims in AD 79 eruption

Archeologists have discovered the remains of two men who died in the 79 AD eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, the Archaeological Park of Pompeii announced on Saturday.

"Two skeletons of individuals caught in the fury of the eruption have been found," the Archeological Park of Pompeii said in a statement.

Studies revealed that the victims were a man aged 18-25 and approximately 156cm tall, and an older man, probably 30-40 years of age and approximately 162cm tall, according to the statement.

The bodies were found during current excavations of a large Roman villa where archeologists found the remains of three harnessed horses in 2017. They were in a side room off a covered passageway below the villa.

"This dig is very important, also due to touching discoveries of great emotional impact," said Pompeii Archeological Park General Director Massimo Osanna.

"The two victims are an extraordinary testament to the morning of the eruption on Oct. 25 (in 79 AD)," Osanna continued, adding that they "were probably looking for shelter underground (when they) were engulfed by the flow of lava."

"This extraordinary discovery demonstrates that Pompeii is important in the world not only because of the .... visitors and tourists (it attracts) but also because it is an incredible location for research, study, and training," said Italian Culture Minister Dario Franceschini.

"Twenty hectares remain to be dug -- there's still a lot of work to do for the archeologists of today and the future," the minister added.

The legendary remains of Pompeii, the ancient Roman city that was frozen in time by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, the volcano overlooking the Bay of Naples in southern Italy, are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Italy and China both have the highest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the world, at 55 each.