What began as a lighthearted joke quickly spiraled into a harrowing near-death experience for one woman, turning an adventurous moment into a sobering reminder of how unpredictable life can be. Erin Langworthy, a 22-year-old woman from Australia, had no idea her playful comment would soon echo with haunting truth during what was supposed to be an exciting and memorable trip.

In 2012, Erin embarked on an adventure to Victoria Falls, a world-renowned natural wonder located on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. As part of her trip, she signed up to do a 360-foot bungee jump from a bridge suspended over the powerful Zambezi River, a popular thrill-seeking activity in the region. Like many travelers, she decided to share a joke with her family before the big event. She sent her mother a postcard that read, “I’m doing a bungee jump tomorrow, so I’ll say goodbye… only joking!” Her message was intended to be humorous, but what followed turned that light-hearted jest into a chilling premonition.

On the day of the jump, Erin was the 105th person scheduled to leap. Although she admitted feeling a few butterflies in her stomach, she never imagined that anything could actually go wrong. Everything seemed perfectly routine. The harness was strapped on, the safety checks were done, and the entire experience was being filmed, just like every other jumper before her. As she launched herself off the bridge, arms extended in perfect form, everything appeared normal—until disaster struck.

Midway through the descent, the unthinkable happened: the bungee cord snapped. One moment she was soaring through the air, and the next, she was plummeting straight into the churning waters of the Zambezi River below. Known for its intense currents and dangerous wildlife, including crocodiles, the river is no place to be stranded—especially with your feet still bound together.

“At first, it felt amazing,” Erin later recounted in an interview with The Guardian. “But then I felt a sharp jolt across my chest, like I slowed down for a moment… and then I hit the water. That’s when I realized something had gone seriously wrong.” The impact was brutal. She briefly lost consciousness underwater. When she came to, she was completely disoriented. Her lungs burned from the lack of oxygen, and she struggled to figure out which way was up.

“As I went deeper, the water got colder,” she explained. “I think that’s what snapped me out of it.” But the danger was far from over. The snapped cord was still tangled around her legs, and it began catching on rocks and debris as she was dragged through the rapids. She had to repeatedly dive underwater to free herself. Despite the mounting injuries and internal trauma, she kept fighting.

Erin Langworthy survived horror injuries after her bungee cord snapped from 360ft in Zambia.

She had joked about her death the day before it happened.

The accident was considered a miracle after she fell into crocodile-infested waters. pic.twitter.com/bW1JVmCaiU

— TrendMagnetHQ (@TrendMagnetHQ) January 16, 2024

Through sheer willpower, Erin managed to swim across the swift and dangerous current of the Zambezi, eventually reaching the Zimbabwean riverbank. There, she was spotted by a bungee jump staff member who rushed to her aid and helped pull her to safety. Her body was battered, her lungs in agony, and she was coughing up blood. But somehow, she was alive.

“I saw crocodiles that morning,” she recalled. “But in that moment, I couldn’t even think about that. I was just trying to breathe. My lungs felt like they were on fire.” Erin believes that the way she instinctively extended her arms during the fall saved her life. Had she hit the water headfirst, the outcome would likely have been far worse—potentially fatal.

Erin was taken to a hospital in the nearby town of Victoria Falls, where she was treated immediately. She was placed on a ventilator, underwent X-rays and scans, and received powerful antibiotics to combat the bacteria from the river water. She was diagnosed with partially collapsed lungs and various internal bruises but, incredibly, no broken bones.

“They told me I had swallowed a lot of dirty water, so they had to be aggressive with the medication,” she said. “But I couldn’t believe it when they said there were no fractures. It felt like a miracle.”

In the aftermath, Erin remained surprisingly calm and thoughtful about the whole ordeal. “The bungee team was deeply apologetic,” she shared. “Honestly, I think I’m incredibly lucky to have survived. It’s nothing short of a miracle.”

The incident caused widespread concern, especially among tourists who were considering similar activities in Zambia. Given Lubinda, Zambia’s then-minister of tourism, quickly addressed public concerns. He stated that the bungee jump operator had a strong reputation for safety, with over 50,000 people jumping annually and only one known accident—Erin’s.

To restore public confidence, Lubinda even went so far as to offer to jump himself, alongside Erin, to demonstrate that the safety measures had been reinforced and that Zambia remained a safe and exciting tourist destination. “It’s my duty to take that risk,” he declared. “I want to show the world that Zambia is still a place worth visiting—and that bungee jumping here remains safe.”

As for Erin, her perspective on future jumps remains uncertain. Her mother has made her stance clear: there will be no more bungee jumping. Erin, however, remains open-minded. “I don’t know,” she said. “Maybe one day. It hasn’t scared me off completely.”

Her story is a remarkable tale of resilience, survival, and the sheer unpredictability of life. What started as a fun vacation turned into a life-changing event—one that could’ve easily ended in tragedy but instead became a testament to human instinct, determination, and survival against all odds.