A 33-year-old British man has died while base jumping in Pattaya, Thailand, according to local police reports. The incident occurred on Saturday evening, and it is believed that the man’s parachute failed to open after he jumped from a 29-storey apartment block. Eyewitnesses reported seeing the man crash through a tree before falling to the ground. Police who responded to the incident found the victim with a blue parachute which had not opened on impact.
According to reports from staff at the building, the man had reached the apartment’s top floor with friends who were filming him base jumping. Base jumping, which involves jumping with a parachute from high landmarks rather than an aircraft, has become a popular activity for thrill seekers living in southeast Asia. However, the activity is also extremely risky. With only a few seconds before ground impact, there is little margin for error, and the activity has a much higher fatality rate than skydiving.
People who participate in base jumping sometimes earn an income from social media followers who watch their videos. This dangerous activity isn’t limited to Thailand, as there have been similar base jumping fatalities in France, Britain, and elsewhere in recent years. In March of 2022, a 48-year-old British man passed away while base jumping in southeast France.
The Foreign Office released a statement noting that it is providing support to the man’s family. South East Asia has been a popular destination for tourists and ex-pats looking for an adrenaline rush over the last several years, and base jumping fatalities are a tragic, but not unexpected, part of the landscape. As the popularity of the sport continues to grow, so too does the potential for more fatalities
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