Don’t do it, says man who jumped off Royal Caribbean cruise ship; ‘a lot of things could go wrong’
The man who jumped from an 11th story of a Royal Caribbean cruise ship’s balcony said he did it as a joke, something to make his friends laugh.
But now that he has had time to digest the significance of the stunt and the worldwide attention it has drawn, Nick Naydev has some advice for anyone attempting to do the same: “I wouldn’t want anyone trying this because it is dangerous and a lot of things could go wrong,’’ he told the Sun Sentinel Wednesday.
Last week, Naydev, 27, posted a video on Instagram which captured him standing on the balcony of the Symphony of the Seas and then jumping off, his arms and legs swinging wildly as he plunged into the bright blue waters of Nassau, Bahamas where the ship was docked Jan. 11.
“I jumped because I thought it would be funny and would be a good laugh with my friends,’’ said the Vancouver, Washington resident whose friend, Konstantin Kryachun, recorded the video which showed them and others laughing on the balcony.
The video went viral, drawing more than 309,000 views on Instagram and more than 4,800 comments on Naydev’s account.
“I can’t believe how much attention this video is getting,’’ Naydev said. The former high school gymnastics coach estimated that he jumped about 120 feet.
Because of the stunt, he and his friends have been banned for life from sailing with the Miami-based cruise line which called the incident extremely dangerous.
After splashing into the water, Naydev was picked up by a small boat and taken back to the dock and then to the ship where he said he was questioned. He was then kicked off the ship with his friends. They had to catch a flight from Nassau to Miami the following morning before heading home. Naydev said he suffered some pain in his neck and tailbone.
“If anyone does try it, I hope they understand what the risks are,’’ he said.
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Man jumps from 11th story cruise ship balcony, gets lifetime ban from Royal Caribbean
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