By Tim Binnall
A man in Switzerland wound up in the hospital following a rather foolish stunt wherein he threw himself onto a powerful fountain and was sent flying into the air. The bizarre incident reportedly occurred last week in the city of Geneva, which is home to a famous fountain known as the Jet d'Eau. Situated in Lake Geneva, the popular landmark sprays a staggering 138 gallons of water per second to create a towering torrent which reaches a whopping 460 feet in the air. For anyone who has ever gazed upon the fountain and wondered what would become of someone who obstructed its powerful jets, they got their answer when the unnamed thrillseeker managed to get past a security perimeter surrounding the site.
Upon arriving at the nozzle of the fountain, the misguided young man actually put his face into the stream of water and was promptly tossed backwards. Amazingly, the experience seemingly left him no worse for wear as he then went back and, this time around, tried to grasp the powerful torrent with his arms. Alas, he probably should have quit while he was ahead as the second visit to the center of the fountain saw him blasted several feet into the air before he plummeted down onto a walkway.
Having drawn the attention of astounded witnesses watching all of this unfold, the man subsequently tried to make something of a getaway by diving into Lake Geneva, but he was quickly fished out by police. Although the extent of his injuries is unknown, the misadventure was apparently harmful enough that he needed to be taken to the hospital for treatment. Once the young man recovers, he will likely be facing a stiff penalty for the incident as the company which operates the fountain have indicated that the plan to pursue trespassing charges.