- Footage shows a tourist plunging off a waterfall into the Yellow River in China
- The 29-year-old was visiting the popular scenic spot during the national holiday
- The man was found lying on a rock just few inches from the fast-flowing streams
- He was taken to hospital conscious with spinal and vertebral fractures
A man has narrowly escaped death after falling off a powerful waterfall on the Yellow River in north-west China.
The man was reported to have crossed over the fence and slipped off a rock while visiting the picturesque Hukou Waterfall.
He was saved by rescuers who found him lying on a rock about 50 metres (164 ft) below the waterfall.
Thousands of tourists visited Hukou Waterfall in northwestern China on October 5
A 29-year-old man crossed the safety barrier and plunged into the waterfall suddenly
Shocking footage has emerged on social media which captures the moment the 29-year-old man, surnamed Wang, plunging down the cliff from the top of the waterfall.
Thousands of visitors were standing in the area as the incident occurred.
According to Beijing Youth Daily, an onlooker commented that he saw Wang crossed the safety barrier at the viewing platform and slipped from the rock and fell into the water.
Houkou Waterfall is the second largest waterfall in China. It’s located on the Yellow River in Yichuan, Shaanxi Province.
Policemen and staff members from the scenic spot rushed to the bottom of the waterfall and found Wang lying on a rock 20 centimetres (7.9 inches) away from the fast-running water.
He suffered spinal and vertebral fractures and was taken to Yichuan People’s Hospital.
Policemen and rescue team rushed to the bottom of the waterfall and searched for the man (left). They found the man near on a rock at the edge of the Yellow River (right)
Hukou Waterfall, located on the Yellow River, is the second largest waterfall in China with a height over 50 metres (164 ft)
Beijing Youth Daily reported that Wang, from central China’s Hubei Province, was visiting the waterfall alone during the Golden Week holiday, an eight-day long national celebration, on October 5.
However, it remained unclear of the man’s motives jumping off the waterfall.
Local propaganda department of Yichuan county confirmed the incident and posted a statement on Weibo today.
‘We have successfully handled a case of tourist falling into a waterfall on October 5 where the man was saved in 10 minutes under the help of policemen and staff.’
Spokeperson of the department reminded tourists to follow the rules accordingly and not to cross the safety barrier.