10-Amber Bellows
Experienced BASE jumper Amber Bellows jumped off Mount Kinesava in Zion National Park,
Utah. The 28-year-old Salt Lake City resident took the 2,000-foot leap, but much to witnesses’ shock,
her parachute never deployed. Bellows had been married for all of two weeks when the accident
occurred. Her husband attempted to rescue her but was unable to reach her. Though Bellow’s spouse
contacted park employees soon after, the search for her body didn’t begin until the following
morning. This was due to the fact that it wasn’t considered a rescue mission, and the area was
remote. Bellow’s body had to be recovered via helicopter. BASE jumping wasn’t allowed in Zion
National Park. Though authorities lamented the loss of a life, they warned the public that the
potential lethality of this extreme sport is the reason why it’s forbidden in the location.
9-Dave Reader
One of the greatest risks of BASE jumping is striking objects during the fall. This is exactly
what happened to David Reader back in 2016. The 23-year old man was practicing this extreme sport
in the French Alps when his parachute failed to open. He suffered massive head trauma,
which was so severe that there was nothing first responders could do to help. Reader was rushed
to the hospital, where he remained in a coma for less than 24 hours. The following day, the young
thrill-seeker was pronounced dead. His organs were donated and reportedly helped save 6 lives.
What is it?
While parachuting involves exiting from a plane, BASE jumping focuses instead on leaping
from a fixed object. Those who practice this extreme sport don’t carry a reserve parachute.
BASE is an acronym, representing the different places from where
people practicing this extreme sport jump from, building, antenna, span, and earth,
or cliff. There are several forms, such as wingsuit, tandem, and high or low jumps.
The lowest record is held by Felix Baumgartner, up to the recording of this video. He leaped
from the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, just 95 feet off the ground.
8-Mary Katherine Connell and Rami Kajala
Mary Katherine Connell, known to her friends and family as Katie, was an experienced BASE jumper.
She had participated in 300 different leaps when she decided to try a jump at Bixby Bridge,
in California. Rami Kajala, an instructor, accompanied her ready to film the experience
with his GoPro camera. He owned a business centered on this extreme sport.
Connell suffered an unknown complication on her way down, and Kajala watched in horror as he
realized she was drowning. Jumping behind her, he descended 300 feet, determined to save her.
Unfortunately, neither of them would resurface. Their bodies were recovered later that same day.
7-Shane McConkey
Professional skier and BASE jumper Shane McConkey was considered a gifted athlete at the time of his
death, in March of 2009. He enjoyed such acclaim that he was added to the Ski and Snowboard
Hall of Fame not long before his untimely demise. He combined skiing and BASE jumping,
pushing the limits each time. While visiting a mountain in the Italian Dolomites, he suffered
an unexpected accident. His skis malfunctioned, failing to release in time. This prompted
McConkey to spin out of control. By the time he managed to resettle, it was already too late.
The young sportsman failed to deploy his parachute in time, crashing against the ground. He didn’t
survive the fall, though emergency services were called immediately after his accident.
Where is it located?
Though BASE jumping can be performed all over the world, there are certain locations where it
has been banned. After expensive rescue missions, Norway forbade this sport in the Troll Wall and
other iconic locations. In Austria, people are welcomed to jump from cliffs, but using bridges
or dams is strictly restricted. Australia is well-known among sportsmen for its strict stance
on the activity, forbidding BASE jumping from certain locations, and rigorously making sure
the law isn’t broken. This is considered one of the most dangerous extreme sports,
as there’s little room for error and people often misunderstand the real risks behind it.
6-Mario Richard
At 47, Mario Richard was well-known for his stunts that often involved using wingsuits while BASE
jumping. He was married to a professional climber and the couple often participated in sports
activities together. His wife had managed to jump without any inconvenience moments before what
would become Richard’s last leap. As wingsuits provide the user with a low margin for error,
Richard knew he was taking a great risk, but he loved the thrill it provided him with.
Unfortunately, his parachute didn’t deploy correctly, and he plummeted to his death.
5-Dean Potter and Graham Hunt
A lover of extreme outdoor sports, Dean Potter had experience with activities such as free climbing
and BASE jumping. He broke two different records during his career, including climbing one of the
hardest paths in Yosemite Valley, in just over 35 hours. He participated in several films related
to the sports he loved and created controversy climbing locations that forbade this practice.
His defiant attitude caused Potter to lose one of the sponsors that supported him.
His love for breaking the rules would ultimately lead to his death, in 2015. Potter,
accompanied by Graham Hunt, decided to perform a proximity wingsuit BASE jump in Yosemite Valley.
The two men crashed, unable to dodge the multiple obstacles on their way down.
They died on impact, neither having the opportunity of deploying their parachutes.
How will it kill you?
As jumpers practice this sport without a reserve parachute, there’s little margin for error.
The number of potential obstacles during the fall makes lethal injuries a great risk,
which is generally avoidable when making the jump from a plane. There are also many beginners who
are enticed by the sport and believe it to be less dangerous than other alternatives. Experts
have determined there’s a “lack of education” on the matter. A high number of pro BASE jumpers,
considered experts in the field, perished practicing this extreme sport as well. A
study has found that, from 1995 to 2005, there’s been one death every 2317 jumps.
4-Angelo Grubisic
Angelo Grubisci wasn’t only a BASE jumper, but also a space scientist.
He once worked for NASA researching spacecraft propulsion and designed wingsuits, with a focus
on making them safer. Though he was well aware of both its theory and practice, he died while
attempting a leap, at the age of 38. Grubisic participated in a type of BASE jumping known as
proximity flying. The objective is to stay in close proximity to the surrounding landscapes.
During his last adventure, he crashed against a ridge at 108 miles per hour.
The force of the impact killed him instantly.
3-Sean Leary
Sean Leary was well-known as a professional climber and stuntman,
considered one of the best of his generation. Leary set several records,
including for speed-climbing the Salathe Wall and the Nose, in Yosemite National Park. He soon added
BASE jumping to his hobbies, practicing it all over the Americas, from the US to la Patagonia.
He would make his last leap in Zion National Park, Utah, while working as a guide on a film.
It’s believed that Leary didn’t notice a notch on the mountain while falling, and struck it hard,
rendering him unable to deploy his parachute. The stuntman plummeted 100 feet to his death.
Since he’d gone alone, no one knew what happened until the next day, when his
wife read an email from his employer asking why he hadn’t shown up for the shooting. That was
when a search party was gathered which concluded with the discovery of Leary’s body, hours later.
How to survive?
Safety and precaution are key elements when it comes to BASE jumping. If the weather conditions
are not optimal, and there seem to be too many obstacles to avoid during the fall,
it’s best to avoid the location altogether. Inexperienced jumpers should make sure to get
proper instruction and supervision until they gain enough understanding of the activity. Properly
maintaining the equipment and researching the area greatly enhances the chances of survival.
Some experts have even advised to avoid using wingsuits while BASE jumping
altogether, as they’re believed to give them a false sense of security.
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2-Alexander Polli
A legendary stuntman who uploaded videos of his jumps on YouTube, Alexander Polli was no stranger
to danger. He regularly traveled the world, leaping from different mountains and high spots.
His last jump would be in the French Alps when he was merely 31 years old.
Polli crashed against a tree while free-falling, in an area where accidents are commonplace. He
was declared dead on site. In the years leading up to his death, the stuntman had told a journalist
that he prepared well for every jump as a way of dealing with the dangers of the sport he loved.
1-Carl Boenish
The man considered the father of BASE jumping, Carl Boenish, was also one of its earliest
victims. Boenish was a cinematographer who filmed several of his leaps back in 1978,
and participated in a number of movies on the subject. Two days after achieving the highest
jump record up to 1984, his body was discovered on a small glacier. He had attempted a solo
jump when he sustained fatal injuries. It was unknown exactly what happened during the fall,
but Boenish lost control and crashed. The impact was so strong that it instantly killed him.
Two climbers discovered the body soon after his accident. Only 48 hours after his death,
Boenish’s wife, Jean, decided to attempt the same jump that had killed him, to honor his memory.
She was successful, but it was the last time she practiced their beloved sport in that location.
Thanks for watching! Would you rather BASE jump or be forced to hunt your own food from now on?
Let us know in the comments section below!