A Dawson Creek, B.C., man is facing police scrutiny after he launched his motorboat off the 12.1-metre Lundbreck Falls in southern Alberta, capturing the stunt on video and sparking widespread online attention.
The 36-second clip, posted to social media on Monday, shows Dustin Friesen piloting his boat over the scenic waterfall, located about 25 kilometres northwest of Pincher Creek, and landing in the Crowsnest River below. The video has since garnered hundreds of thousands of views, with over 850,000 on Facebook alone.
In the post, Friesen claimed he had set a world record for the "highest naturally flowing water fall jumped with a water jet boat," noting that the vertical drop from water to water was 8.8 metres. Many viewers congratulated him, with some calling him an "action hero" and others offering to buy him a beer. However, not everyone was impressed. Some questioned the wisdom of the stunt, with one commenter writing, "My back hurts just from watching this."
Municipal District of Pincher Creek Reeve Rick Lemire said he initially thought the video was generated by artificial intelligence. He expressed concern that if the jump had gone wrong, a water rescue on the fast-flowing Crowsnest River would have required significant emergency resources, including multiple personnel and equipment.
Crowsnest Pass RCMP Sgt. Mark Amatto confirmed Thursday that police and conservation officers are jointly investigating the incident, focusing on the alleged careless operation of a vessel. "It's just making sure it's addressed and that we don't have anybody else putting their Bud Light down and thinking they can do the same thing," Amatto said.
Postmedia has reached out to Friesen for an interview but did not receive an immediate response. The investigation is ongoing.
