Niagara Falls, Ontario ? The 30-year-old man had been shoved 180 feet down through a thundering curtain of water with a force greater than gravity and now bobbed in the frigid water below Niagara Falls.

Only two people had ever been known to survive such a plunge unprotected by a barrel or other contraption.

Rescue workers here know all too well that jumping over Niagara Falls is a most efficient way to commit suicide, though they closely protect the number of victims they retrieve. The man who survived Wednesday’s fall avoided any number of hazards.

“First of all, that he’s able to survive the fall over the Falls, but secondly, that he’s able to survive in that cold water for 45 minutes — that on its own is pretty remarkable,” Niagara Parks Police Chief Doug Kane said.

Authorities will not release the man’s name, only saying he is a resident of western Ontario. He was in stable condition Thursday, undergoing treatment for hypothermia and a head wound, with relatives at his side.

“He is expected to make a full recovery,” Niagara Parks Police Sgt. Chris Gallagher said.

It was 2:11 p.m. Wednesday when tourists saw the man climb over a retaining wall and jump into the rushing river. In seconds, he was at the bottom.

He avoided being knocked unconscious by the rock formations at the base of the Falls, but the water underneath the Falls is just as lethal. An estimated 37 million gallons rush over the brink every minute.