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Mexican wingsuit flyer dies in Saint Gallen

Malcolm Curtis
Malcolm Curtis - [email protected]
Mexican wingsuit flyer dies in Saint Gallen
Hikers walk below the Hinterrugg, the highest peak in the Churfirsten mountain chain. Photo: Switzerland Tourism

A 39-year-old Mexican wingsuit flyer is dead following an accident in the canton of Saint Gallen, cantonal police said on Monday.

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The man was with a group of four other wingsuit enthusiasts on Saturday at the Hinterrugg mountain near Walenstadt, police said in a news release.

The five jumped from a spot known as Sputnik, according to the release.

The Mexican lost control and opened his parachute too late, police indicated.

He died from the force of landing in a meadow.

When a Rega emergency rescue team arrived by helicopter on the scene the victim was already dead.

Hinterrugg, a 2,306-metre peak in the Appenzell Alps, is known as a popular spot for base jumping and wingsuit flying.

The Mexican's death was the latest in a series of wingsuit fatalities, coming two weeks after renowned Australian winsguit flyer Alex Duncan died after crashing into a mountainside in the canton of Valais.

Duncan, 26, was killed on September 2nd after jumping from the summit of the 2,243 Croix de Fer mountain.

He hit a rock face after going off track. 

Wingsuit flying is a high-risk sport involving jumping off cliffs or out of aircraft while wearing a suit designed to break a fall, allowing the user to “fly” before opening a parachute to land.

British wingsuit diver and stuntman Mark Sutton — best known for parachuting into the London 2012 Olympics opening ceremony dressed as James Bond — died in August 2013 when he crashed into a mountain ridge in Valais after jumping from a helicopter.

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