The death of a man was captured on Facebook Live after he BASE jumped off a mountain
An Italian daredevil live streamed his own death after he BASE jumped off Kandersteg in the Swiss Alps. The man, who was named locally as Armin Schmieder, 28, took the fatal leap off the peak which is part of the Dolomites mountain range.
Footage before the incident showed Armin climbing into a red and blue wingsuit. He zipped up the outfit as he stood against a backdrop of blue sky before donning a pair of sunglasses and a helmet. During the preparation, Armin can be seen smiling several times at the camera.
Once he had readied himself for the jump, Armin lifted the camera to show a stunning view of mountains and the cliff edge before him. According to The Independent, the last clear footage of the man showed him waving goodbye before he appeared to place the recording device in his pocket and zip it up.
During the filming, Armin said: “Today you fly with me.”
After Armin put the camera into his pocket, the video continued for around three and a half minutes, during this time he counts down from three to one and appears to take off.
Viewers can then hear the sound of him flying through the air for about 25 seconds but then the footage falls silent.
On the livestream, panic set in as members of Armin’s family frantically tried to work out what happened.
One asked: “Where is he? And what happened?”
BASE jumping, which consists of parachuting or wingsuit flying from a fixed structure or cliff, is considered one of the most dangerous recreational activities in the world.
BASE stands for Buildings, Antennas (referring to radio masts), Spans (bridges) and Earth (cliffs), which are the surfaces from which the parachutists dive. The sport has a fatality and injury rate 43 times higher than parachuting from a plane due to the lower altitudes.
There have been over 450 BASE jumping deaths since 1981, according to a list maintained by BASE-jumping publication Blinc.
Earlier the same month Armin died, BASE jumper Uli Emanuele also filmed his own death while performing a stunt in the Dolomite mountains.
Some jurisdictions around the world have banned the practice of BASE jumping due to the highly dangerous nature of the activity. In some cases such as building and antenna jumps, jumping is often done covertly without the permission of owners, because it can lead to charges such as trespassing.
Attitudes from authorities about the sport vary significantly depending on location. In Norway, base jumpers are made welcome at the mountain of Kjerag where they are free to practice their craft. Many sites in the European Alps on the Eiger and near Chamonix also allow jumpers. But on bridges such as Europabruecke near Innsbruck, Austria, the practice is banned.
Australia also has some of the toughest stances on BASE jumping and specifically bans Base jumping from certain landmarks such as the Sydney Harbour Bridge.