What happened to pliny the elder?

Pliny the Elder died while trying to rescue the survivors of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius that destroyed Pompeii. He saw the volcanic cloud and as he was admiral of the fleet at Misenum, a short distance away, he ordered rescue ships to be sent. He went with them (he was curious about all natural phenomena) despite being asthmatic. The gasses and bad air, combined with his Asthma killed him.