New details emerge on how daredevil couple 'broke in' to climb Empire State Building
It looks like you need an Empire State of cunning and planning if you want to scale the world's most famous skyscraper.
New York City was left stunned on Wednesday (1 July) after Russian couple Angela Nikolau and Ivan Kuznetsov pulled out their best King Kong impression and climbed to the top of the Empire State Building.
Though they didn't have to fight off fighter planes trying to shoot them down, they were joined by a helicopter that filmed the hair-raising stunt, earning them the attention of the world.
The couple are prolific climbers, or 'rooftoppers', of tall buildings and are the subjects of the 2024 documentary Skywalkers: A Love Story.
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They scaled to the very top of the Empire State Building's spire and unveiled a banner which read: "When the power of love beats the love of power the world knows peace."
Then they made their way down to a small platform before Kuznetsov appeared to propose to Nikolau, with the subsequent snaps of an engagement ring backed by the New York skyline going viral.
The question of why you'd climb up a 1,454ft (443 metres) building with no safety equipment was baffling enough, but how the daring duo actually managed to pull it off is another.
Details of the 'stunning security breach' have now come to light.
How the couple were able to climb the Empire State Building
It has now emerged that the couple allegedly hid out in the Empire State Building overnight to be able to climb up the antenna on Wednesday.
Sources told ABC News that the couple bought a ticket on Tuesday before hunkering down there overnight without detection.
"The next morning at 5am, the sources say a security camera caught the couple going through a hatch on the 102nd floor observation deck," reporter Aaron Katersky said during a broadcast.
"Hours later, prosecutors say, the pair left through the 104th floor, where a lock on a security door had been broken, clambering onto the antenna, unfurling a banner nearly 1,500ft in the air."
Kuznetsov and Nikolau were on the top of the building for around 30 minutes before police, with safety equipment in contrast to the couple, climbed up to arrest them.
As it turns out, the officers had to wait for the Empire State Building's antenna to be turned off before they could go up.
"That antenna admits high frequency radio signals powerful enough to cause harm to the human body," Katersky added.
"Elite NYPD officers had to wait for it to be shut down before they could approach."
NYPD commissioner Jessica Tisch said of the officers: "These are men and women of uncommon valour, it really can take your breath away, but this is what the men and women of ESU (emergency service unit) do basically every day."
In another twist, it turns out the couple may already be wed, as the report adds that ABC News have been told by Nikolau's father back in Russia that they are already married and the proposal was a 'performance'.
Kuznetsov did not reply when Katersky asked if the pair were already married.
After spending Wednesday night in different cells, Nikolau and Kuznetsov were charged with burglary, reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, criminal trespass, criminal tampering, disorderly conduct and possession of burglar’s tools on Thursday.
After their arraignment, they left the court and were spotted kissing on the steps down to the subway. The couple are on supervised release until their next court appearance, which is set for 24 August.
Daniel Murphy