Wingsuit BASE Jumper Dies After 700-Foot Fall in Utah
A 27-year-old BASE jumper died in Utah after a wingsuit malfunction during a 700-foot jump. Authorities are investigating the fatal accident in Cache County.
POLICY WIRE — Hyrum, Utah — A 27-year-old man lost his life on Sunday following a fatal wingsuit malfunction during a jump from a 700-foot cliff in northern Utah. Officials have withheld the victim’s identity pending notification of his family.
Cache County Chief Sheriff’s Deputy Doyle Peck reported that the incident occurred in a mountainous region east of Millville Canyon and the city of Millville. Emergency responders were dispatched to Leetham’s Hollow at 9:10 a.m. Sunday, where they pronounced the jumper dead upon arrival.
According to Peck, the victim was part of a group of approximately 10 individuals participating in wingsuit-aided BASE jumping in an area roughly 45 miles north of Ogden. Despite the man being experienced in the sport, his wingsuit failed to generate sufficient lift, causing him to strike the ground at a high rate of speed.
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A medical transport helicopter was initially deployed to assist in the search and later recovered the man’s body. The location, characterized by steep canyon walls and cliffs, is a known destination for enthusiasts of the sport.
The BASE Fatality List, an online community database, has recorded 541 deaths globally since 1981, with 15 of those occurring this year. This tragedy follows a separate incident in June that claimed the lives of two BASE jumpers in Utah, including Andy Lewis, a performer who appeared with Madonna during the 2012 Super Bowl.
The term BASE was coined in 1978 by photographer Carl Boenish, who documented early jumps from El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. The acronym refers to the four categories of launch points: buildings, antennas, spans, and earth.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
