A man is airlifted to safety after plunging at least 180 feet into the raging torrent of Niagara Falls — and surviving.
He is only the third person known to have lived after falling into the waters without a safety device.
In what appeared to be a suicide attempt, the man was seen to climb over a railing up to 30 feet over Horseshoe Falls and “deliberately jump”.
He surfaced downstream near the Journey Behind the Falls observation platform and made it to shore. A rescue team rappelled down the steep gorge and pulled him up in a basket.
He was airlifted to Hamilton General Hospital, apparently suffering broken ribs and a collapsed lung.
Dan Orescanin, of Niagara Falls, Ontario, Fire Department, said: “He waded ashore. He must have gotten swept into an eddy. That’s a stroke of luck: If he was in the main current he’d have been swept down river.”
He said the man was conscious and talking at first but went quiet.
“We had to hand-carry him, a foot at a time, up the rope,” Mr Orescanin said. “It was very difficult, between the shale and boulders, everything wet and slick.”
Horseshoe Falls is on the Canadian side of the natural wonder. The drama took place yesterday on the busy Victoria Day bank holiday.
More than six million cubic feet of water go over the falls each minute. Several people have survived trips in barrels or other contraptions.
In a few weeks, daredevil Nik Wallenda plans to cross on a tightrope after convincing officials to waive a ban on stunts.