Man Survives Hazardous Plunge Over Niagara Falls

A man has survived one of the most dangerous journeys in all of Ontario – a plunge over Niagara Falls.

It happened Wednesday afternoon after a tourist spotted someone deliberately climbing over the barriers on the Canadian Horseshoe Falls, then jumping into the swirling waters below. He called police but it was too late – the man was already in the frigid water.

The current carried the man towards the raging water and he went over the Falls, dropping  at least 60 metres as the roaring natural wonder swallowed him up.

He emerged on the other side in the Niagara River, about 300 metres away from a nearby power plant. And incredibly, he was still alive to tell the tale.

But it appears that wasn’t his plan. Cops in Niagara region are now saying they believe the U.S. man was attempting to end his life.

When he refused to comply with police orders to swim to shore, a helicopter was dispatched to retrieve him.

When he ignored their rescue efforts, officials cleverly positioned the chopper over him and used the blades to create a current that pushed him to shore against his will. He was grabbed from the water by fire department rescuers and taken away to hospital (below).

Equally unbelievable is that the pilot was able to successfully make the necessary maneuvers despite the high winds, which had been gusting at times to 90 kilometres an hour in the area.

The man is between 35 and 40, and was suffering from a large wound to his forehead and severe hypothermia when he was pulled from the icy depths. He was fully clothed when he went in, but came out naked after his rescue, likely because his garb was pulled off by the force of the currents.

He becomes one of only about 17 people to ever go over Niagara Falls and survive.

Most of the others went in a barrel or some kind of flotation or protective device. Only three have ever been known to make the trip with almost no protection and survive – although in this case, it appears the victim wasn’t planning on that outcome.

Photos courtesy: Sun Media

Here’s a list of people known to have gone over the falls:

Oct. 24, 1901 – Annie Edison Taylor is the first person to go over the Horseshoe Falls in an oak barrel.

July 25, 1911 – Englishman Bobby Leach goes over in a steel barrel, becoming the first man to complete the task.

July 11, 1920 – George Stevens – known as the “English Daredevil” – dies in his attempt to ride over in an oak barrel.

July, 4, 1928 – Jean Lussier, a French Canadian, survives in a steel reinforced rubber ball.

July 5, 1930 – George Stathakis dies when his oak barrel is caught behind the Horseshoe Falls for 16 hours.

Aug., 5, 1951 – The inner tube and canvas barrel used by William “Red” Hill Jr. breaks apart in the upper rapids before plunging over the falls. Hill’s body is recovered the next day.

July, 9 1960 – Roger Woodward, 7, is accidentally swept over the Horseshoe Falls. The survival of Woodward, who was wearing only a life jacket, is lauded as the “Miracle at Niagara.”

July, 15, 1961 – William Fitzgerald goes over in a rubber and steel ball he uses for the feat the “Plunge-O-Sphere.”

July, 2, 1984 – Karel Soucek survives using a custom-made steel and plastic barrel.

Aug. 18, 1985 – Steve Trotter rides over in a foamed-lined pickle barrel surrounded by large inner tubes.

Oct. 5, 1985 – Dave Munday goes over in a barrel consisting of a 1,500 litre plastic tank surrounded by plastic foam.

Sept. 28, 1989 – Peter DeBernardi and Jeff Petkovich are the first two-person team to go over. They use a barrel made from a 3.6 m steel-reinforced tank.

June, 5, 1990 – Jessie Sharp plunges to his death while attempting the stunt in a 3.6 m red kayak. His body is never found.

Sept. 26, 1993 – Using a converted diving bell, Dave Munday becomes the first person to successfully ride over the falls twice.

June, 18 1995 – Steve Trotter goes over the falls for a second time in a barrel constructed from two water heaters welded together. Trotter and his partner Lori Martin are the second two-person team to ride over the falls. Martin is the second woman to perform the feat.

Oct. 1, 1995 – Robert “Firecracker” Overacker dies while trying to go over the falls on a Jet Ski.

Oct. 20, 2003 – Kirk Jones survives a plunge over Niagara Falls with only the clothes on his back.

Source: Niagara Falls Daredevil Museum