“After a few seconds, I felt a jolt across my chest. It seemed as if I slowed down for a second, then sped up. I could hear the wind rushing past my ears”, she recalls.
She managed to wrap her arm around a rock and hang on for a few seconds. But she had no idea what was coming next.
First Stop
Erin Langworthy was born and raised in Australia. After graduating from college, she decided to take some time off and travel the world.
She made Zambia her first stop. She knew she would have a lot of fun there and create unforgettable memories. Little did she know how much she would regret this decision.
Solo Travel
Erin decided to travel there on her own. Solo travel had been on her mind for a long time, and she felt like it was time to try it out.
She wanted to meet new people and take things at her own speed. Traveling alone meant more flexibility and opportunities to make friends while in Zambia.
Bungee Jumping
Erin felt like she needed some excitement in her life. She wanted to try something she had never done before.
The 22-year-old joined a tour group that was going bungee jumping. She was a little nervous but also excited.
At The Destination
Her mother didn't approve of it, though. She tried to convince Erin not to go bungee jumping, but she still went despite her mother's warnings.
Erin was now at the Victoria Falls in Zambia. The bridge where she planned to jump from was 111 meters high.
Feeling Nervous
It was a hot and humid day. Erin started to feel nervous as she prepared to jump. Was it a good idea? Should she have listened to her mother?
All the tourists looked down at their fall. Some were anxious, while others were excited.
Preparation
She took a deep breath and put her harness on. She didn't know it yet, but the fall would certainly be fatal.
“I felt nervous but never thought anything could go wrong. I was the 105th person to jump that day”, Erin recalls.
She Thought It Was Safe
While Erin was nervous, she knew it was safe. Things don't often go wrong, and she trusted the company she booked the bungee jumping tour with.
She watched dozens of people in her group drop before she did. The professionals checked her harness and made sure she was good to go before her jump. Then they attached a thick rope that was supposed to keep her safe.
Beautiful View
Erin looked at the view from the bridge, and her jaw dropped. It was absolutely breathtaking! What could possibly go wrong?
“What am I doing throwing myself off a perfectly good bridge?” Erin recalls. She should have trusted her gut feeling.
She Jumped
She felt anxious as she looked over the bridge. Then, she closed her eyes and jumped.
“I was caught up in the moment and simply spread my arms and fell forwards. Everything sped by in a blue-green blur. The rush was amazing," Erin recalls. But soon, she would be on the verge of death.
The Fall
Erin felt herself fall for a few seconds until she felt the thick rope pull at her chest and legs.
When she opened her eyes, all she could see was the crystal clear water below and massive rocks. She followed all the instructions, but the staff didn't foresee what would happen to her next.
Something Was Wrong
Erin was falling and falling as her rope created a loud snap. “After a few seconds, I felt a jolt across my chest. It seemed as if I slowed down for a second, then sped up. I could hear the wind rushing past my ears," she recalls.
“Instinctively, I brought up my arms, locking my hands together. Then I felt myself hit the water – that’s when I realized something had gone wrong."
Landed
The 22-year-old hit the water in the safest way she could. She nearly passed out as a massive splash swallowed her.
Her bungee cord remained tied around her ankles, causing her a lot of pain. However, it broke near the top due to wear and tear. “The bungee cord had snapped near the top, so I still had about 30 meters attached to me, which kept getting caught," Erin explained.
Freeing Herself
Erin tried to gain control of her direction in the river, but she failed. She drifted down the river until the rope that was still attached to her caught a massive rock on the bottom of the river.
Erin knew she was the only one who could help herself in this situation. So, she dived under and untied the rope.
Waiting
Erin then managed to reach the bank of the river, where she wrapped her hands around a rock. Now, all she had to do was wait for someone to arrive and help her get out.
But there were more surprises in store for her.
Danger
That morning, Erin and other tourists drove past numerous crocodiles. It turned out that next to the bungee jumping area were crocodile-infested waters.
Erin knew she was in deep trouble now, and there was nothing she could do to escape.
Help On The Way
“That morning, I had seen crocodiles in the water, but I couldn’t think about that," she recalls.
"All I thought about was clinging on," Erin continued. “I now know I was in the water for 40 minutes”. She knew that people were coming to rescue her, but she didn't know how long it would take them to get there.
Rescued
Finally, a man from the bungee jumping company got to her. He grabbed Erin by the bungee harness and helped her get out of the water.
The 22-year-old didn't suffer any injuries, but she was freezing. The man then took her uphill, where the other rescuers were already waiting for them.
Not Over Yet
Erin breathed a sigh of relief. She thought the nightmare was over, but there was one more issue that she had to deal with. And it was political.
Because the river ran along the border of Zimbabwe and Zambia, and she was pulled out from the river on the Zimbabwe side of the border, she was denied immediate help.
Unlucky
Since Erin didn't have a Zimbabwe passport, the local medics couldn't help her.
She had no other choice but to wait. Finally, after 5 hours, she got to the hospital. She was exhausted and worried about her health. Luckily, everything was fine.
Surprise Visitors
Erin was taken to the hospital, where she kept getting surprise visitors. The bungee workers came to visit her. They apologized and promised they'd be adding extra measures to ensure this horrible experience would never happen again.
“They were very apologetic and astounded I’d survived,” Erin recalls. But they weren't the only ones who visited her there.
Home Safe
Erin's mother booked a ticket to Zambia as soon as she heard about the accident.
She flew to ensure her daughter recovered well before returning home two weeks later, where she reunited with the rest of her family and friends.
Happy Ending
Erin is lucky she made it out alive from the river.
Although she may never want to go bungee jumping again, she certainly has quite a story to tell!