Daredevil Nik Wallenda involved in Florida circus high-wire fall

REUTERS

 

File Photo: Aerialist Nik Wallenda walks a tightrope during a promotional event in midtown Manhattan, with the Empire State Building behind him, in New York City, U.S., May 17, 2016. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

 

TAMPA, Fla. (Reuters) - Acrobat Nik Wallenda was rehearsing an eight-person pyramid stunt on the high wire at a Florida circus when five performers fell from about 20 to 25 feet (60-75 meters) on Wednesday, authorities said.

 

Wallenda was not injured, but five people were hospitalised with injuries from the accident that occurred during a practice of the final act for Circus Sarasota, said Pedro Reis, CEO of the Circus Arts Conservatory presenting the show.

 

"Accidents do happen as you know," he told reporters at a news conference, noting that no one was killed or crippled. "The show must go on."

 

He said one performer appeared to have lost his balance on the high-wire. Wallenda was anchoring the rear of the pyramid and did not fall.

 

Five performers were transported to hospitals, Sarasota County Fire Chief Michael Regnier said.

 

Wallenda's feats have included high-wire walks above Niagara Falls, between two Chicago skyscrapers while blindfolded and across Arizona's Grand Canyon.

 

Wallenda, the self-proclaimed "King of the High Wire," is part of the seventh generation of the famed Flying Wallenda family of acrobats. His great-grandfather, Karl Wallenda, slipped and fell to his death from a high wire in Puerto Rico in 1978.

 

(Reporting by Letitia Stein; Editing by Dan Grebler)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-02-09

Before the bashing starts, one assumes the fall was 60-75 feet (20-25 metres).

 

And please note the source.

If he did from a height of 20 to 25 feet, that would convert to falling from a height of 6.0-7.5 meters. 

3 minutes ago, metisdead said:

If he did from a height of 20 to 25 feet, that would convert to falling from a height of 6.0-7.5 meters. 

 

Which is what NBC News says, 25 feet.

 

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/five-injured-after-fall-during-rehearsal-wallenda-high-wire-act-n718531

41 minutes ago, Crossy said:

Before the bashing starts, one assumes the fall was 60-75 feet (20-25 metres).

 

And please note the source.

Other news sources, including the ABC Evening News are saying 20-25 FEET.   If it were 20 - 25 meters I don't even think the best Farang Balcony Diver in Thailand would survive.  

They say if you fall, just get back up.  Maybe that's just for riding horses...

Eh up, the mods are having a mini ding-dong... didn't think it was correct to openly contradict one another. Believe suspensions should be in order. 

 

You know the media is out of control when someone falls 25 ft without hurting themselves and it makes the world news.