A 27-year-old BASE jumper died Sunday morning in Utah after plunging approximately 700 feet from a cliff in an area authorities described as popular for the extreme sport.
The Cache County Sheriff’s Office identified the victim as a 27-year-old man but did not release his name. Officials said they would withhold further identifying information until his family had been notified.
Cache County Chief Deputy Doyle Peck said the man was an experienced BASE jumper who had taken part in similar jumps “many times before.” The fatal jump occurred near Millville Canyon in Utah’s Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest. According to Peck, something went wrong and the man’s wingsuit did not generate enough lift.
“He impacted the ground at a high rate of speed resulting in his death,” Peck said in a statement.
The jumper landed in a gully that ground crews could not access, according to dispatch audio. A Life Flight helicopter helped Cache County search-and-rescue teams reach the site. Peck said the man was pronounced dead at the scene, and the helicopter later recovered his body.
“We appreciate all of the professionals who responded to this accident,” Peck said. “We also extend our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of this individual.”
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BASE jumping involves leaping from fixed structures or natural features—including buildings, antennas, bridges and cliffs—and deploying a parachute during the descent. The wingsuit worn by the Utah jumper is an aerodynamic suit used in skydiving and BASE jumping that is designed to help participants glide during free fall, according to Red Bull.
Training programs generally require aspiring BASE jumpers to have extensive skydiving experience, according to Base Access, a nonprofit organization that promotes education about the sport. Even with that preparation, BASE jumping remains notoriously dangerous. The Associated Press reported that two people, including extreme athlete Andy Lewis, died in another BASE jumping accident in Utah over the summer.
