A PERTH woman has told how she swam to safety after the cord snapped during a 111-metre bungee jump in Zimbabwe.

Erin Langworthy, 22, did the popular jump over the Zimbabwe and Zambia border on New Year's Eve about 5.30pm.

The bungee cord broke when she was about 20 metres above the Zambezi River, dropping her into crocodile-infested waters, according to an interview she gave Channel Nine news last night. Ms Langworthy was forced to swim through rapids, discarding the cord when it became stuck in rocks, before reaching the Zimbabwe side of the river.

Victoria Falls Bungee issued a statement that said the accident was being investigated. Jumps were suspended for a day. The company, founded in 1994, said its 30 staff had carried out successful jumps for more than 150,000 people.

The report said Ms Langworthy was flown to a South African hospital and her parents travelled from Australia to join her.