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| British man survives 15th floor fall in New Zealand | British man survives 15th floor fall in New Zealand |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A British man has survived a fall from the 15th floor of a building in New Zealand, local media report. | A British man has survived a fall from the 15th floor of a building in New Zealand, local media report. |
| Tom Stilwell fell from his neighbour's balcony in his apartment block in Auckland at 02:00 local time on Sunday (14:00 GMT on Saturday), reports said. | |
| He had been trying to lower himself onto his balcony, which was directly below his neighbour's. | |
| His friends said that he had bone fractures and internal injuries, but was "fine" and "a very lucky man". | His friends said that he had bone fractures and internal injuries, but was "fine" and "a very lucky man". |
| The 20-year-old is said to be in New Zealand on a working holiday. | The 20-year-old is said to be in New Zealand on a working holiday. |
| Mr Stilwell discovered he was locked out of his flat early on Sunday, and asked a neighbour if he could climb down from her balcony into his flat, his friends said. | |
| The neighbour, Geraldine Bautista, told the New Zealand Herald that Mr Stilwell was "a little tipsy" but polite. | The neighbour, Geraldine Bautista, told the New Zealand Herald that Mr Stilwell was "a little tipsy" but polite. |
| "I wasn't scared of him - he just requested 'Can you please let me jump off from the balcony? I will not bother you, just let me use your balcony.'" | "I wasn't scared of him - he just requested 'Can you please let me jump off from the balcony? I will not bother you, just let me use your balcony.'" |
| "I never thought he would really do that. In my mind I thought 'Okay, I'll just let you see that it's really impossible. I didn't think he'd jump, because it's really scary." | "I never thought he would really do that. In my mind I thought 'Okay, I'll just let you see that it's really impossible. I didn't think he'd jump, because it's really scary." |
| However, he quickly pulled himself over the balcony railing before she could stop him, she said. | However, he quickly pulled himself over the balcony railing before she could stop him, she said. |
| Mr Stilwell's fall was broken by the roof of an adjacent building, reportedly some 13 floors below. | Mr Stilwell's fall was broken by the roof of an adjacent building, reportedly some 13 floors below. |
| Dr Tony Smith, a medical director at St John, an emergency healthcare organisation, told the New Zealand Herald that a person's chances of survival were increased if they were able to break their fall on something. | Dr Tony Smith, a medical director at St John, an emergency healthcare organisation, told the New Zealand Herald that a person's chances of survival were increased if they were able to break their fall on something. |
| However, "survival from falls of that height are extraordinarily unusual", he said. | However, "survival from falls of that height are extraordinarily unusual", he said. |