Zambia tourism minister takes bungee leap of faith

LUSAKA: Zambia's tourism minister has invited back an Australian woman who survived a terrifying ordeal after her bungee jump over the Victoria Falls went wrong.

Erin Langworthy, 22, swam to safety after her bungee rope snapped, plunging her headfirst into the Zambezi River.

Tourism minister Given Lubinda has now done the bungee jump himself to reassure tourists it is safe.

Ms Langworthy was on holiday on New Year's Eve when she took on the 111-metre jump from the Victoria Falls bridge above the river, which borders Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The terrifying moment was caught on video and Ms Langworthy is seen hitting the water with her feet still tied before being swept towards rapids.