British tourist believed to be first person to survive swimming across the Hoover Dam

A British tourist trying to star in his own live-action version of The Hangover drunkenly swam across the Hoover Dam, becoming the first person known to survive the treacherous trip.

Aaron Hughes, a 28-year-old forklift truck driver from north Wales, was in Las Vegas for a bachelor party, and he went with his friends on a quick jaunt over to the massive Hoover Dam at the Nevada and Arizona border. "We were all just standing there and I thought, f--k it, I'm going for a swim," he told The Daily Post. "I got to the bottom and thought, 'I can make that.'" Hughes, who might want to consider making new friends, said his pals encouraged him to go in and cheered him on, even as he stopped halfway across, too tired to continue. "I knew I had to get to the other side," he said. "The water was pulling me in toward the dam."

After 30 minutes, Hughes completed his swim, and waiting police officers arrested him; he was ultimately fined $330. Over the last decade, 275 people have died at the Hoover Dam, and officials say it's likely Hughes would have joined their ranks had nine of the dam's 10 turbines not been turned off. Hughes doesn't think he did anything wrong, because "there are no signs saying no swimming, you're just expected not to." Next time, just go to a strip club.

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