Posted on 08/05/2024 7:56:36 AM PDT by Red Badger
Rescue crew members at Yavapai Point on Friday (K. Kasper/National Park Service)
A man was killed trying to parachute into the Grand Canyon, park officials report. Crews found his body and a deployed parachute around 500 feet below the South Rim in Grand Canyon National Park, NBC News reports. A National Park Service statement said the man attempted an illegal BASE jump about 7:30am Thursday from Yavapai Point. Crews reached the body Friday. His name was not released pending positive identification. The acronym stands for building, antennae, span, and earth—the features that people parachute from. The jumps are prohibited throughout the park, and the Park Service and the medical examiner's office are investigating.
The day before, a North Carolina college student fell 400 feet to his death near a scenic viewpoint on the Grand Canyon's South Rim, per CBS News. Park officials said the body of Abel Joseph Mejia, 20, was found near the Pipe Creek Vista on Wednesday morning. A spokesperson for the park said 10 to 15 people per year die in Grand Canyon National Park.
It’s too bad he wasn’t wearing a Wyle E. Coyote costume. If you’re going to die doing something stupid, make it funny. At least leave the empty ACME Parachute box up on the rim.
Mr. Splat’s stupidity could very well have injured or killed the rescuers. If it weren’t for the dangerous parachute litter, leave him there for the wildlife to have some good come of his final act.
Just reading your post causes me anxiety...I learned I was cliff averse when I was 16 on a family vacation in the Canadian Rockies.
Just rub some dirt on ... never mind.
The Colonel’s Wife has no trouble going near the edge. I get so anxious for her that I have to look the other way. She thinks I’m being silly. I think a strong breeze could send her over.
Colonel, USAF JAGC (ret)
I watched the Evel Knievel TV coverage of the rocket flight from Idaho with
my friend Joey - he was also ten years old. Seemed to take hours.
And YES we were very disappointed when the chute opened as soon as the
silly thing launched. I’ve always suspected that someone who cared about
Evel sabotaged the launch - so he would run not the risk of death yet again.
But it’s a good question - how many times DID he risk his life on pointless
daredevil stunts?
.
By the way - “ Evel Knievel died in 2007, at age 69, after years of failing
health that included diabetes and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.”
I’ve always suspected it was a set-up stunt..............
Tourons as they’re called !!
Considering it is illegal to do this, I seriously doubt any “bond” was posted.
suicide by the installment plan.
I remember that vividly. It was the same day that Ford pardoned Nixon. Political cartoonists had a field day with the Snake River Canyon and “Credibility Gap.”
Say he made the jump completely unscathed. . Any thoughts to how he would get out of the canyon?
In a body bag...................
I remember that stupid stunt!
There are many trails leading down into the canyon.
If I had a guess I’d suspect that he chose a spot not far from a trail he could use to get back out.
Some people just need that adrenalin rush!
I recall from Jump School that by the time you count to 4, and your parachute deploys, you’ve dropped over 200 feet. We jumping at 1200 feet. I’m glad I never had to deploy the reserve chute.
Evil Knievel used to show up at Bully’s bar in Del Mar, Ca.
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