Tourist survives bungee jump fall in Thailand after cord snaps

Hong Kong (CNN) Some thrill-seekers describe bungee jumping as a near-death experience, but few come as close as one man who managed to survive a cord snap in Thailand.

Footage of the horrific ordeal went viral this week after the 39-year-old tourist from Hong Kong went public with his story.

The tourist, who asked to only use his first name Mike to avoid online harassment, swan dived from a 10-storey podium in the city of Pattaya while on holiday in January this year.

Fortunately, the jump was made over a body of water. The bungee cord snapped milliseconds before Mike neared the end of his jump, sending him crashing into the water below.

“I landed on my left side, so the injuries were more serious there,” Mike told CNN, recounting how he was left covered in bruises. “It was like someone just beat me badly.”

His dive was witnessed by friends who were with him at Changthai Thappraya Safari and Adventure Park.

Located northwest of Pattaya, the amusement park offers activities ranging from ziplines to live shooting.

Hong Kong tourist Mike surfaces after his bungee cord snaps during a jump in Pattaya, Thailand.

Mike said he first went to the park to try the shooting range, but got up the courage to go bungee jumping after his friends dared him.

“It was too high so I closed my eyes. I planned to open my eyes again when I got back up,” Mike said. “I realized that the cord was broken when I opened my eyes and I was surrounded by water.”

He managed to surface and swim despite his legs being tied together by the lower half of the snapped bungee cord.

“If the person doesn’t know how to swim, he or she is going to be in big trouble,” he said.

Mike said the park reimbursed the cost of his jump and paid for x-rays and ultrasound scans in Thailand.

Nihit Intim, the park’s founder, confirmed that the accident happened and said it was the first time he had seen a cord break.

“After the cord broke, our staff picked it up [mike] came right out of the water and asked him if he was okay,” he told CNN. “He [Mike] said he felt bruised. That’s how we took him to the hospital.”

Intim said Mike had signed a liability waiver before making the jump. He also sent a photograph of what he said was a signed waiver, as well as copies of medical bills to Thailand.

“Our staff explained that if any mishap occurs or an accident occurs, our company will compensate the medical bills. But the customer cannot claim compensation for other expenses,” Intim said.

He added that the park would be willing to pay any further direct medical expenses in Hong Kong if invoices were issued.