The most well-known survivor is Pliny the Younger, a Roman politician, and author, who was staying at Misenum, a naval base across the Bay of Naples from Pompeii. Pliny the Younger witnessed the eruption from a distance and described the event in his letters. He and his mother managed to escape by boat.
Another group of survivors was discovered in the ruins of Herculaneum, where they had taken shelter in a boat shed near the beach. The boat shed preserved them from the intense heat and ash, but they eventually died from toxic gas. Skeletons of around 300 people were found in the boat shed, suggesting that they had been unable to escape in time.
There is also evidence of survivors in Pompeii itself. A few skeletons have been found in the upper floors of buildings, suggesting that they may have climbed to higher ground to escape the rising ash and pumice. Additionally, some objects, such as jewelry, coins, and household utensils, were found in the ruins, indicating that some people may have been able to salvage belongings before fleeing.
The exact number of survivors is not known, but it is estimated that a few thousand people managed to escape the eruption, either by fleeing to safer areas or by taking refuge in underground structures.
