A tourist visiting an adventure park in Thailand was convinced by his friends to try bungee jumping. That decision led to a near-death experience as the bungee cord snapped during the descent.
Thankfully, the man took the plunge over a body of water.
The tourist, a 39-year-old from Hong Kong who was identified only as “Mike,” was visiting the Changthai Thappraya Safari and Adventure Park in January when the terrifying accident occurred. He had intended to try out the park’s firing range that day, but was eventually convinced to try bungee jumping, CNN reported.
After seeing his friend dive first, Mike stepped to the edge of the 10-storey bungee platform and leapt.
Footage of the incident shows the man in free fall when the bungee cord wrapped around his feet snaps, mere milliseconds before the end of the descent. Mike’s body slams into the water below at a high speed.
“It was really high so I closed my eyes. I planned to open my eyes again when I bounced back up,” Mike told CNN. “I realized the cord had snapped when I opened my eyes and I was surrounded by water.”
Mike was able to swim back to the surface, though his ankles were still bound together by what remained of the bungee cord.
“I landed on my left side so the injuries were more serious there,” Mike told CNN. “It was as if someone just beat me up real bad.”
Staff from the park helped Mike out of the water and he was rushed to a local hospital.
Mike told HK01, a news outlet in Hong Kong, that the ordeal left his body covered in bruises with blood oozing from his left armpit where the skin had been completely ripped off. His whole body ached, he said.
Nithit Intim, the founder of the park, confirmed the accident, noting the park reimbursed Mike for his ticket and medical expenses in Thailand.
Mike told HK01 that he ended up developing a lung infection from the fall and required further treatment back home in Hong Kong.
Intim told CNN that the park would be willing to pay the additional treatment costs if receipts are provided.
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