WATCH: Tourist’s bungee cord snaps during jump in Thailand

A thrill-seeker from Hong Kong leapt from a 10-storey-high crane at an amusement park in Pattaya, Thailand, and suffered injuries when his bungee cord snapped at the launching pad end.

It happened as the tourist, named in local Chinese media as ‘Mike’, plunged from a 100ft-high platform.

Heart-stopping footage shows the holidaymaker confidently free-falling from the steep platform, his arms spread out as he nosedived. While nearing the lake below, however, the cord suddenly broke, sending him crashing into the water.

‘Mike’ said he battled through the intense pain and swam up to the surface, with staff jumping in to haul him out of the lake. He was rushed to a hospital for treatment.

Speaking this week to the media in Hong Kong, China, Mike said: “At first, it hurt so much that I became dizzy. My arms were stretched out, so my armpit area was badly hit. I didn’t know how many injuries I had as I swam up to the surface, all I knew was that my body hurt.”

After X-rays and an ultrasound, ‘Mike’ was told that he was not seriously injured and did not need to be confined. Doctors prescribed painkillers before releasing him from the hospital.

Before the horrific mishap, which happened in February during a holiday, Mike said he and his friends were made to sign disclaimer documents in Thai and English, which they “signed without much thought”.

The holidaymaker, furious that his trip had been ruined, contacted the park to demand compensation and was allegedly offered 10,000 baht (290 USD) and a 2,000 baht (58 USD) refund.

Upon returning to Hong Kong, he said he spent around 50,000 HKD (6,370 USD) on hospital bills and physical therapy. The fees were covered by his travel insurance.

In an e-mail to the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Mike wrote:

My friends and I suffered losses due to the accident, including changes to our travel plans, my injuries, and income lost from constant check-ups and treatments after returning to Hong Kong. I have declined the park’s proposed compensation plan as it is unfair to me. If the accident had been more severe, I could have lost my life.

Mike said he’s not yet received a reply.