Miracle escape for bungee jumper after chord snaps, plunging her into crocodile-infested waters

Last updated at 11:10 AM on 9th January 2012

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Bungee jumping while on an adventure holiday is like a right of passage for many young travellers.

But some may think twice after Australian backpacker Erin Langworthy, 22, plunged into the Zambezi River when her chord snapped during a jump at Victoria Falls, in Zambia.

Miraculously, the thrill-seeker from Perth survived the plunge into crocodile-infested waters and lived to tell how she managed to battle through the rapids and swim to the Zimbabwean side of the river with her feet still tied together.

Daredevil: Erin Langworthy jumped from the bridge in Zambia but disaster struck when her bungee chord snapped

Video footage shows Miss Langworthy, who paid around £80 for the experience, jumping from a bridge and reaching the end of her descent before the cord snaps, sending her into the waters below.

She told Australia's Channel Nine television network: 'I landed with my legs tied and then had to swim to the Zimbabwe side [of the river] through the rapids.

'It was quite scary because a couple of times the rope actually got caught on some rocks or debris.

'I actually had to swim down and yank the bungee cord out of whatever it was caught on to make it to the surface'

Ms Langworthy spent a week in hospital following the incident, which happened on New Year's Eve.

Officials in Zambia have since launched an investigation into what caused the accident at the popular beauty spot.

Around 50,000 tourists a year jump from the British-built road and rail bridge which crosses a gorge 111 metres above the Zambezi, linking Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Tourism minister Given Lubinda told the Lusaka Times: 'The bungee has proven to be a very viable operation considering that more than 50,000 tourists jump on it every year.

'It has been in operation for 10 years. This is the first time I am hearing of an incident. The probability of an incident is one in 500,000 jumps.'

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