Posted on 08/18/2014 9:45:57 AM PDT by george76
Two base jumpers, including an Australian, were killed in separate accidents in the French Alps on Sunday (local time) after parachuting off mountains in their wingsuits.
Their deaths bring to four the number of people killed taking part in the extreme sport in France this month.
...
On August 6, two base jumpers, one from Switzerland, the other from France, died in similar accidents in the Alps and French Pyrenees.
...
Unlike skydiving, which involves leaping from an aircraft, base jumpers take off with a parachute from a fixed point, usually a cliff or a bridge.
The sport carries high risks. A Norwegian study published in 2007 concluded that base jumping was five to eight times more likely than skydiving to result in injury or death.
(Excerpt) Read more at abc.net.au ...
‘An investigation has been launched ...’
Save your money.
A better death than in a car on the way to work.
Excellent footage of the line at Brevent (successful jump).
No room for error.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5ZQCsDmJ7M
What shocking and unexpected news!
People die in every sport. If they want to die at high speed against a rock, and don’t take anyone out with them; go for it.
Ya think?
What are they going to investigate? An adrenalin junkie bites the dust looking for a rush.
As long as they also recover the body without taxpayer assistance.
I’m not the type who would willingly jump off of a perfectly good mountaintop, but if that’s the sort of thing that floats your boat, who am I to criticize it...
In regards to activites like that, Europe in general and France in particular are far better than the USA. You can basically do whatever you want but have no recourse if anything goes wrong. Compare that to a typical American ski resort which has been padded, posted and groomed to death thanks to lawyers.
My BIL went skiing in the Italian Alps, accidentally wandered off-piste and ended up getting bashed by some rocks. They charged him for the rescue, no ifs ands and buts about it. One can only hope America will someday return to a state where personal responsibility matters again.
RIP.
Agreed.
The US trial lawyers make huge money suing ski areas and such.
The lawyer politicians make it easy for their pals [ they all hate tort reform ] , getting large campaign cash and more in trade.
No wonder lift tickets , food , healthcare, etc. are so expensive.
As long as they also recover the body without taxpayer assistance.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/3194147/posts?page=9#9
Gravity induced speed until terminal velocity = 32.2 ft per second ^ per second.
In other words, don’t jump off tall objects unless you want to get dead.
Investigation is concluded. Now give me the millions of dollars that are saved.
They were looking for an adrenaline rush. I suspect the rush right before they hit the ground was intense.
It’s not the jump but the landing that’s a bummer.
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