This is the moment a man surfs on a river which has become a raging torrent in landlocked Austria because of heavy rains, offering challenging waves which eventually caused the surfer to fall off before disappearing from view.
The incident took place on the Ybbs river near the town of Amstetten in the eastern Austrian state of Lower Austria.
The footage was shared on Facebook and reportedly caused concern from netizens and members of the emergency services. It was captioned: “Many emergency services are wondering whether it is necessary to risk your own life and that of the emergency services during a flood.”
The footage, which lasts a minute and a half, shows the surfer adeptly standing on the surf board and zigzagging in the river. The raging torrent was so strong at the point where he entered the river that it had created a permanent wave in the centre, offering a slope down which the surfer could navigate.
He manages to surf for well over a minute as uprooted trees and other debris sailed past him in the water. Eventually, however, he falls off his board and disappears in the water.
According to the local emergency services, the young man, who has not been named, managed to make it to the river bank unaided and did not suffer any injuries.
According to fire department spokesman Franz Resperger, a total of three young men were involved in the incident, and the surfers’ companions can be seen in the video on a bank in the background.
Man surfs on a raging river in Austria 
Man surfs on a raging river in Austria
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Story By: Joseph Golder, Sub-Editor: Michael Leidig, Agency: Central European News
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