Brave souls take New Year dip into Rome's Tiber

(1 Jan 2017) BRAVE SOULS TAKE NEW YEAR DIP INTO ROME'S TIBER Four Italian divers welcomed in the New Year in spectacular fashion Sunday (1 JAN. 2017), leaping off a bridge in Rome into the icy Tiber River below. The four played to the watching crowd as they leapt off Cavour Bridge, at a height of more than 50 feet (17 meters) from the water below. The event is a New Year tradition dating back to 1946. Then, an unemployed lifeguard who was trying to find work as a stunt man leapt into the waters from Cavour Bridge to advertize his skills. Since then, it has caught on as an annual event, and hundreds of people gathered to watch the men jump off the bridge on Sunday. The crowd favorite was veteran Maurizio Palmulli, who completed his 29th New Year dive, dedicating it to the people of Rome. The four divers said they also wanted to bring international attention to disable people and people who are suffering. In particular, they dedicated the plunge to a mother and her young daughter, who died in a building collapse near Rome on 29 December. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...