Man survives Niagara Falls plunge
Man injured after 180ft fall
Published: 23/05/2012
A MAN survived a plunge of at least 180ft over Niagara Falls.
He is only the third person known to have lived after going over Niagara Falls without a safety device.
Niagara Parks Police said witnesses reported seeing the man climb over a railing up to 30ft over the Horseshoe Falls and jump into the Niagara River.
Seriously injured, he surfaced near the Journey Behind the Falls observation platform and managed to make it to shore.
Platoon Chief Dan Orescanin of the Niagara Falls Fire Department, said: “He must have gotten swept into an eddy, floated over there and was able to get out on his own.
“That’s another stroke of luck. If he was in the main current, he would have been swept down river.”
Mr Orescanin said the man was conscious and talking at first but went quiet.
He was airlifted to Hamilton General Hospital after the apparent suicide attempt where spokeswoman Agnes Bongers said the man was critically injured but expected to survive.
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