Man survives Niagara plummet

NIAGARA FALLS, Ontario, March 11 (UPI) -- A man who jumped into the Canadian side of the Niagara River Wednesday survived the 167-foot plunge over Horseshoe Falls, authorities said.

The man, whose name wasn't available but was said to be in his late 30s, was in the frigid waters for more than 40 minutes before a firefighter using special equipment was able to pull him to safety, The Buffalo News reported.

The man was clothed when he went in, but was naked when rescued. Presumably, the force of the churning falls stripped him of his clothes, the newspaper said.

The man reportedly was hospitalized with a head injury and hypothermia, officials said.

Officials said the man either would not, or could not, help emergency responders with his rescue. An initial attempt to get him to grab onto a pole offered by rescuers aboard a helicopter were fruitless, the News said.

The pilot, Ruedi Hafem, then positioned the helicopter so it produced winds that pushed the man closer to shore.

Niagara Falls Fire Chief Lee Smith said it appeared the man wouldn't have lasted much longer.

"It's amazing that he survived that long," Smith said. "He was very close to not being able to keep himself afloat anymore."

To survive the plunge over the falls unprotected is rare. A U.S. man became only the second to go over Niagara Falls and live to tell about it in 2003. The first person to do it was Roger Woodward, who went over Horseshoe Falls after the boat he was in capsized in 1960, when he was 7 years old.