Shirtless man seen climbing up Eiffel Tower hours before Olympics closing ceremony

A man seen climbing up the Eiffel Tower in Paris has prompted mass evacuations near the famous Paris landmark hours before the Olympics closing ceremony on Sunday.

The shirtless man was seen scaling the 1,083-foot-tall tower. It was not immediately clear where he began his ascent but he was spotted just above the Olympic rings adorning the second section of the monument, just above the first viewing deck. It was not immediately clear if the man had been detained.

Police escorted visitors away from the area around 3 p.m. Some visitors who were briefly locked on the second floor were allowed to exit around 30 minutes later.