"Zorbing" Stunt Turns Deadly

Two men climbed into a giant plastic bubble for a thrilling ride down a ski slope at a popular winter resort. But, in less than a minute, one of them would be dead as the fun turned to tragedy.

You can see the guys inside the ball, called a zorb, as it went on a dizzying ride down the slope.

First it veered off to the right and spectators tried to steer it back on course. Then, it veered off track again, this time rolling over and over toward a steep ravine.

But nothing could stop the runaway ball as it crashed into jagged rocks, and over a precipice.

It happened at a ski resort in Russia, close to where next year's Winter Olympics will be held.

The dead man's wife watched the horror unfold. The other rider was seriously injured.

Zorbing is becoming increasingly popular in the U.S. David Letterman tried out a zorb on his show, rolling around inside it to the delight of his audience.  

Letterman's guest, actor Joseph Gordon Levitt, climbed into the zorb and rode it on 53rd street  in Manahttan.

And Jackie Chan rides a zorb over a cliff in the movie Operation Condor.

Zorbing experts say zorb riding slopes should have fences on both sides to prevent future tragedies