airdog07
September 23rd, 2014, 04:36 AM
Ramón Rojas dead: Record-breaking base jumper killed in Switzerland wingsuit accident
http://www.independent.co.uk/incoming/article9747017.ece/alternates/w620/Ramon-Rojas.jpg
The Chilean ambassador for the sport was nicknamed “The Birdman”
Lizzie Dearden (http://www.independent.co.uk/search/simple.do?destinationSectionUniqueName=search&publicationName=ind&pageLength=5&startDay=1&startMonth=1&startYear=2010&useSectionFilter=true&useHideArticle=true&searchString=byline_text:%28%22Lizzie%20Dearden%22 %29&displaySearchString=Lizzie%20Dearden)
Record-breaking base jumper Ramón Rojas has died while flying using a wingsuit in Switzerland.
The 35-year-old, who was known as “The Birdman” and “Chapa”, was practicing for a competition in Lauterbrunnen on Saturday when the accident happened.
A newspaper in his native Chile, La Tercera, reported that (http://www.latercera.com/noticia/deportes/2014/09/656-596699-9-fallece-en-suiza-el-chileno-record-mundial-de-salto-base.shtml) preliminary information indicated high winds may have caused Mr Rojas to lose control and crash.
ProBASE World Cup officials confirmed the tragedy on Facebook, calling him an “ambassador” for base jumping.
“Yet another one of our brothers has left us way too early,” a statement said.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends. Fly free Chapa!”
Mr Rojas’ death came almost exactly a month after he broke the world record for the highest wingsuit ski base jump by leaping 4,100 metres from Cerro El Plomo in the Andes on 21 August.
His sister, Paula Rojas, wrote on Facebook: “My heart is broken but it gives me peace to know that my brother was happy doing what he loved so passionately.
“He was happy and will carry on smiling from where he is, with the rest of the birds.”
Tributes were pouring in on Sunday from hundreds of other base jumpers and fans, with many leaving messages on a Facebook page called “Ramon Rojas memorial to celebrate his awesome life” (https://www.facebook.com/groups/1478678559083137/).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uElglM0nYl8
http://www.independent.co.uk/incoming/article9747017.ece/alternates/w620/Ramon-Rojas.jpg
The Chilean ambassador for the sport was nicknamed “The Birdman”
Lizzie Dearden (http://www.independent.co.uk/search/simple.do?destinationSectionUniqueName=search&publicationName=ind&pageLength=5&startDay=1&startMonth=1&startYear=2010&useSectionFilter=true&useHideArticle=true&searchString=byline_text:%28%22Lizzie%20Dearden%22 %29&displaySearchString=Lizzie%20Dearden)
Record-breaking base jumper Ramón Rojas has died while flying using a wingsuit in Switzerland.
The 35-year-old, who was known as “The Birdman” and “Chapa”, was practicing for a competition in Lauterbrunnen on Saturday when the accident happened.
A newspaper in his native Chile, La Tercera, reported that (http://www.latercera.com/noticia/deportes/2014/09/656-596699-9-fallece-en-suiza-el-chileno-record-mundial-de-salto-base.shtml) preliminary information indicated high winds may have caused Mr Rojas to lose control and crash.
ProBASE World Cup officials confirmed the tragedy on Facebook, calling him an “ambassador” for base jumping.
“Yet another one of our brothers has left us way too early,” a statement said.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends. Fly free Chapa!”
Mr Rojas’ death came almost exactly a month after he broke the world record for the highest wingsuit ski base jump by leaping 4,100 metres from Cerro El Plomo in the Andes on 21 August.
His sister, Paula Rojas, wrote on Facebook: “My heart is broken but it gives me peace to know that my brother was happy doing what he loved so passionately.
“He was happy and will carry on smiling from where he is, with the rest of the birds.”
Tributes were pouring in on Sunday from hundreds of other base jumpers and fans, with many leaving messages on a Facebook page called “Ramon Rojas memorial to celebrate his awesome life” (https://www.facebook.com/groups/1478678559083137/).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uElglM0nYl8