Man dives from a 38 metre tree into the Amazon River

A world champion diver has taken his love for leaping to new heights after jumping 38 metres off a treetop into the Amazon River.

Colombian Orlando Duque set out in a boat on the Amazon River near the border between Peru, Colombia and Brazil to find a 35-metre tree to make the daring leap.

With a few helping hands, he found a 38-metre rubber tree which is said to be about 100 years old, providing the perfect diving conditions.

“The depth and everything is perfect, doing a jump that I normally wouldn’t do because need to be pretty deep. The only thing that was a little difficult was getting up there, but it was all spectacular. The view from up there is truly beautiful. You can see both sides by walking behind the tree. Just spectacular! I don’t think you can imagine it.”

Duque believes that no one else has tried this death-defying dive.

“You know in the Amazon I think I leave a bit of my essence diving from this tree. You know that it’s probably never ever been done, so you know it is amazing to be able to do that.”

Difficult words: daring (risky), spectacular (very impressive), death-defying (very dangerous).