A bungy jumper slipped out of her rigging and fell into the water during a jump this past weekend, but she will be OK.
The incident happened at WildPlay Nanaimo on Saturday, May 10, a little before 2:30 p.m.
Tom Benson, chief experience officer with WildPlay Element Parks, confirmed that the guest slipped out of the rigging and fell approximately 10 feet into the water. He said though the guest sustained minor injuries to her ankle, she was in good spirits. A B.C. Emergency Health Services spokesperson confirmed that paramedics provided medical treatment at the scene before transporting the patient, and Ron Gueulette, Cranberry fire department chief, also described the woman's injuries as minor and said she was taken to hospital for precautionary reasons.
"We're really grateful that that's the extent of that and that she's OK," Benson said. "She's been fantastic in the process."
He credited park staff for their professionalism responding to the incident and following protocols, and also for their participation in a review, which is underway.
WildPlay Nanaimo remains open, but bungy operations are paused.
"We've had over 400,000 jumps at that site and this has never happened. So it's like, 'huh?'" said Benson.
He said WildPlay is taking the incident seriously and has a "pretty good idea" of what may have occurred, though further review is needed.
"We do know how to prevent it from happening by taking a much stronger approach on another front for the future, so we're just investigating how to do that鈥�" Benson said. "From the point of view of this ever happening again? It won't ever happen again."
He said due to the review as well as staffing shortages, he doesn't have a timeline for the re-opening of bungy operations, but suggested it won't be long, and "you'll see us back open shortly with big, smiling faces."
