 Aaron Hughes is told he escaped being dragged under only because nine of the 10 turbines were not in operation 
 
 A British man has been fined for swimming across the Colorado river at the Hoover Dam while drunk on a stag do. He said he had not seen any signs saying that it was prohibited The Sun/News Syndication 
 
 A fork-lift truck driver on a stag do in Las Vegas is believed to have become the first person to swim across the Hoover Dam and live to tell the tale — and pay the fine. You go to Vegas to have fun, don’t you? We made The Hangover movie look tame! “We were all just standing there and I thought fuck it, I’m going for a swim. I got to the bottom and thought: I can make that.” 
 
 His friends, who have since called him a legend, were supportive of the stunt. (Image: Arron Hughes) 
 
 “I literally just turned to the lads, said ‘I’m off’ and they were all cheering me on and I swam across. Aaron Hughes is thought to be the first person to survive the swim across the reservoir at the 221m-tall (726ft) structure, which is on the border of Arizona and Nevada. “I swam from Arizona to Nevada, I went across first and then swam back. It’s a hell of a sight to see the dam from underneath.” 
 
 It took him 30 minutes to cross the reservoir. “Even though I was knackered halfway across, I knew I had to get to the other side. The water was pulling me in towards the dam.” 
 
 In the last 10 years, 275 people have died at the site and no one had previously survived swimming across its breadth. Of his arrest, he said: “I didn’t realise it was an offence. There are no signs saying no swimming – you’re just expected not to.” 
 
 
 
 He did, however, admit the swim was “drink fuelled”.
– The world's least shocking quote: A British man's admission that his fairly miraculous swim across the Hoover Dam reservoir was "drink fueled," per the Guardian. Arron Hughes speaks to the Daily Post about his Aug. 10 experience, which came after what he says was a 37-hour bachelor-party bender with friends in Las Vegas. He describes it as a brutally hot day and says that as they stood under the 726-foot-tall structure, he decided, "F--- it! I'm going for a swim." What he didn't know then that he knows now: Some 275 people have died at the dam over the last decade, and no one has successfully made it across the full width of the Colorado River there. But he apparently had luck on his side: Only one of the 10 hydroelectric turbines were powered on during his swim. "I swam from Arizona to Nevada," he tells the Post. "I went across first and then swam back. ... It took about 30 minutes to do. Even though I was knackered half way across I knew I had to get to the other side." He reportedly told the Sun that he was about 160 feet from the dam and felt a strong tug. "I was sucked towards the wall and had to swim hard." He says police were waiting for him and handcuffed him for what he didn't realize wasn't permitted, as he says there aren't any "no swimming" signs posted. "You're just expected not to." He says he ended up getting fined about $330, but, as the tattoo on his body reads, per the Times of London: "No regrets." (This bachelor party ended up being a scam.)