A man died in Arizona after attempting an illegal “base jump” at the Grand Canyon. The Grand Canyon Regional Communications Center stated that it received a report that an individual had jumped from Yavapai Point at the Canyon’s southern rim, and when officials arrived to investigate, they found a dead man around 500 feet below the rim. There was a parachute attached to his body.
The victim’s body was subsequently transported to the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office by helicopter, but he has not yet been formally identified.
BASE jumping is banned in all national parks in the United States. BASE is an acronym that describes various places from which a person can jump, including buildings, antennae, spans (e.g., bridges), and earth (cliffs or canyons). The activity is usually carried out by adrenaline seekers who film their dangerous adventures and post them online.
While BASE jumping is unlawful in most countries and carries obvious dangers, the associated death rate is relatively low, with 480 deaths registered since 1980.
In January, British jumper Nathy Odinson died in what BASE enthusiasts considered a spectacular feat. Odinson, from Cambridgeshire in England, had performed more than 5,000 jumps when he illegally climbed to the top of a 29-storey building in the Thai coastal resort town of Pattaya. Video footage showed the jumper say, “Three, two, one, see ya” before leaping from the building, with the next sound indicating that Odinson hit a tree before crashing to the ground. His parachute failed to open, and he died at the scene.
One of the world’s most famous jumpers was Álex Villar, who made his living performing the daring stunts. Last year, at age 34, he jumped from a cliff in the Panta Calva region of Spain, but like Odinson, his parachute failed to open, and he plunged to his death. The Boltaña Mountain Rescue and Intervention Group was deployed to mount a rescue attempt for the adventurer, accompanied by the Spanish National Guard (Guardia Civil) and medical teams. After searching for some time, they found his body among trees and bushes. He had performed thousands of daredevil stunts throughout his career.
