A 33-year-old American man has become the first person to successfully cross from the US to Canada over Niagara Falls on a tightrope in a daring display of acrobatics broadcast live around the world.
Nik Wallenda, a member of the famed "Flying Wallendas" family of aerialists, walked the half-kilometre, 5 centimetre-width cable stretched across the falls live on American ABC television.
Along the way, suspended over the falls, Wallenda took small, steady steps on a slick cable through swirling winds.
"Oh my gosh it's an unbelievable view," he said as he crossed over the falls.
"This is truly breathtaking."
The American ABC occasionally interviewed him along the walk, asking him about conditions and how he was coping.
"That mist was thick and it was hard to see at times," he said later in the walk, when he was asked about the greatest challenge.
"Wind going one way, mist another. It was very uncomfortable for a while."
Soon after arriving in Canada, Wallenda called his grandmother on a mobile phone.
"Hey Oma, I love you," he said. He said he had promised to call her up as soon as he completed the feat because she could not be there.
The TV network was quick to assure the public that was broadcasting the event with a five-second delay and insisted he wear a safety harness connecting him to the cable - a first for the performer - and warned it would stop broadcasting if he unhooks it.
Wallenda fought the condition at first, eventually agreeing. But he gave himself an out: he would unhook only if directed to do so by his father, who designed the harness and will act as his safety coordinator.
Source: ABC News
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