A Vancouver man is in hot water with a cruise line after leaping from the 11th floor of a ship into the sea.
In a video posted to his Instagram account, Nick Naydev, 27, is seen climbing onto a railing Friday on a Royal Caribbean Cruises ship docked in the Bahamas. With other men laughing behind him, Naydev then hops off the railing and begins flailing his arms and legs before the camera loses sight of him.
He sustained minor injuries but could have swum to shore, Naydev said. The crew of a small boat passing by picked him up, however.
Ship security later found Naydev and his friends, telling them they needed to pack their bags and leave immediately, he said. They also were permanently banned from the cruise line.
“This was stupid and reckless behavior, and he and his companions have been banned from ever sailing with us again. We are exploring legal action,” said Owen Torres, a spokesman for the cruise line.
The video had attracted nearly 65,000 views by Wednesday night. Naydev said in a written statement that he did not “think this through” before jumping.
“I am truly astonished at how this video has spread throughout the internet,” Naydev said. “My idea was this would be a good laugh for my friends, and I would just swim back to shore and continue my vacation and never thought this would be serious.”
Konstantin Kryachun, Naydev’s friend who shot the video, said in a later Instagram video that he was disappointed in the cruise line. He told Yahoo Lifestyle website that the men were hoping to create a viral video and that Naydev had leapt from similar heights.
Naydev, however, said he hoped similar viral videos won’t follow.
“I just hope I don’t inspire anyone to try this because I don’t want to feel responsible for any injuries,” Naydev said.
