Man who survived historic Niagara Falls plunge, dies in second attempt

The man who was the first person to survive going over Niagara Falls without protection has died after an apparent second attempt to go over, but this time inside an inflatable ball.

The body of 53-year-old Kirk R. Jones, of Spring Hill, Fl., was found by the U.S. Coast Guard on June 2 in the Niagara River, at the mouth of Lake Ontario.

“Investigation reveals that Jones was in the Niagara Falls area on April 19, 2017 and may have been attempting a stunt by going over Niagara Falls in a large inflatable ball,” said New York State Park Police in a press release.

Police say the ball was initially located in the rapids above the American Falls and was later recovered by the Maid of the Mist tour boat with no one inside. Jones’ body was discovered just over six weeks later.

Jones became the first person in history to survive an unprotected plunge over the falls on October 20, 2003 . Since then, three others have survived plunges over the falls without protection.