Norwegian BASE jumper plummets 1,000ft to his death near Grand Canyon when his parachute fails to open


Eiliv Ruud, 37, struck a vertical cliff and spiraled out of control during a recreational 'BASE' jump near the Grand Canyon

PUBLISHED:08:21 EST, 6 December 2012
By Jill Reilly

A Norwegian man plunged 1,000 feet to his death when his parachute failed to open after he struck a vertical cliff and spiraled out of control.
Eiliv Ruud, 37 was taking part in a BASE jump near the Grand Canyon, but two other jumpers were forced to watch helplessly as the stunt went tragically wrong.

BASE jumping is an activity in which participants leap off tall, static objects and use a parachute to break their fall.


Fatal mistake: Eiliv Ruud, right of friend Nils Nielsen, plunged 1,000 feet to his death when his parachute failed to open after he struck a vertical cliff and spiraled out of control during a BASE jump


Tragic end: Friends of Mr Ruud who's pictured ice climbing, helplessly witnessed the horrific accident from above



Extreme sports: Ruud, an extreme sport enthusiast, is seen in at least one YouTube video while testing wingsuits with several others in 2010, this photo taken from one video and not confirmed to be him

The accident took place at Salt Trail Canyon, in northern Arizona, on Tuesday.
The term 'BASE' is an acronym for 'buildings, antennas, spans and earth.'

'Mr. Ruud was the first one to jump, and the other two watched. When he had fallen a distance of about 500 feet, it appeared that a gust of wind blew him against the canyon wall,' said sheriff's spokesman Gerry Blair.



Dare devils: A video that includes Mr Rudd base jumping in another incident shows how fast jumpers fall as well as from what daring heights


Death defying: Two people lean over the edge of a snow capped canyon before jumping off the side in specialized suits



Dizzying heights: A person wearing a wingsuit is captured by another participant above them while soaring down a canyon


Resting up: Some of Mr Ruud's friends, and possibly Mr Rudd in the far center himself, are seen resting at the top of a canyon


Daring: Mr Ruud took part in a BASE jump near the Grand Canyon, pictured, when he died

Mr Ruud's parachute failed to deploy fully, and the contact 'pretty much caused him to spiral down the rest' of the way, Mr Blair said.
Mr Ruud was pronounced dead at the scene.

Salt Trail Canyon flanks the Little Colorado River, one of the largest tributaries of the Colorado River that flows through the Grand Canyon.

Mr Blair said Mr Ruud and the other Norwegian man and woman had previously visited the area, which is popular with BASE jumpers.

Mr Blair said BASE jump fatalities in Coconino County were infrequent.
Rescue crews were flown in and had to hike into the canyon to reach Mr Ruud, who was confirmed dead.