Whether it be taking a rocket to the moon or climbing the highest mountain, humanity has always looked at dangerous things and places and thought: “I’m going to check that out.” Unfortunately, one man in Geneva let this natural curiosity descend into a litany of bad decisions, when he was rushed to hospital after putting his face in the Jet d'Eau.
According to a report by the Industrial Services of Geneva (GIS), given to 20 Minuten, at 8pm on August 21 a man decided that he wanted to scale the Jet d’Eau. Perhaps looking for a refreshing shower, given the excessive heatwave active at the time, he was pictured crossing the security barrier on the fountain's pier and approaching the nozzle of the jet.
What he did next was equal parts brave and stupid: he shoved his head over the nozzle while it was running.
For the uninitiated, the Jet d’Eau started off life as a high-pressure safety valve for the local hydroelectric plant. Even in its present form, constructed in 1951, the GIS noted that “500 litres of water” are expelled by the fountain's nozzle every single second - the equivalent of two and a half standard bathtubs. The water itself is propelled from the nozzle at 200 kilometres per hour, which is why the spout reaches 140 metres high.
Needless to say, the sheer force of the jet sent the man flying backwards towards the lake. Undeterred by his lack of success, the young man was then seen trying to cling to the jet itself. This catapulted him several metres up in the air, before landing hard on some paving stones.
Realising that his bizarre adventure was coming to an end, the man decided to dive into the lake and swim away. Unfortunately for him, Swiss police and the GIS switched off the fountain, “rescued him and hoisted him into the boat." He was then rushed by ambulance to the hospital, and his current condition is unknown.
A spokesperson from the GIS concluded that “it is strictly forbidden to approach the Jet d'Eau." The organisation will now be launching legal action against the briefly-airbourne assailant.