ONE of the world’s best wingsuit pilots has been killed in an illegal jump from Table Mountain in South Africa.
Brendan Weinsten died after diving from the summit of the iconic Cape Town landmark and slamming into rocks nearly 1,000 feet below at speeds of up to 120mph.
Brendan Weinsten was one of the most experienced wingsuit pilots in the worldCredit: Jamie Pyatt
He decided to proceed with the jump despite it being strictly forbiddenCredit: Jamie Pyatt
The daredevil concealed his equipment from staff to not raise suspicionCredit: Jamie Pyatt
Despite being a revered expert in his field, the 32-year-old American failed to pull up in time and crashed head-first into a popular hiking trail as families watched on in horror.
More than 50 tourists hiking on the mountain were left traumatised after hearing the adrenaline junkie scream as he realised his fate.
The fatal impact happened at around 9am on Monday, when Weinsten leapt from the mountain while filming a YouTube video for his 44,000 followers.
Extensive search efforts involving multiple ground and air rescue teams were launched before Weinsten’s body was eventually located on the mountainside.
Hiker Kirsten Enderby said her family was standing close to where the pilot hit the ground.
“My family and I were right at the impact zone when the accident happened and he came shooting down extremely close to us,” she said.
“He was so low I could see his face just before everything happening.”
Another witness described narrowly avoiding the falling pilot, saying: “He came crashing down between my husband and I – it all happened so quickly but I had to run fast forward for him to miss me.
“I am still shaken by it all as I was splattered in blood.”
Weinsten leaves behind his Brazilian wife, Kivia Martins, and their baby son, Eiger.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, Martins shared a family photo online with the caption: “He was deeply loved and he left a powerful mark on so many people.”
It is believed the Red Bull-sponsored athlete took a cable car to the top of Table Mountain, concealing his wingsuit and parachute from staff.
Jumping from the summit is strictly illegal.
After reaching the top, he reportedly walked for around 15 minutes to a known exit point before making the fatal leap at 9am.
Former skydiver Jeff Ayliffe said the jump was highly technical and should not have been attempted without local knowledge.
“He hadn’t contacted any of the local base-jumping fraternity to speak to them about this exit point although it had been jumped many times successfully,” Ayliffe said.
“It is a very technical jump, however, it has very sad consequences.
“Brendan Weinsten is considered one of the most experienced base jumpers in the world and he has a huge following in America.
“His technical ability is incredible; he’s done many, many jumps.
“This is only our third base jumping death in South Africa. They know the risk they take.”
South Africa Police spokesman Constable Ndakhe Gwala confirmed the fatality, saying: “A man suffered fatal injuries when he jumped from the summit of Table Mountain on Monday.
“He will have to identified by DNA as the injuries to his face were so severe.”
Sadly, Weinsten is not the first daredevil to lose his life in a horror crash in the region.
In December, 35-year-old Jean Jacques Wallis died after smashing into Lion’s Head during a test flight of his Flare Moustaches parakite.
More than 30 Wilderness Search and Rescue members were involved in recovering his body.
Base jumping – a sport in which thrill-seekers leap from cliffs, bridges or buildings before deploying a parachute – is considered one of the most dangerous sports in the world.
Wingsuit BASE jumping is even more extreme, using a specialised suit with fabric stretched between the arms and legs to allow the jumper to glide horizontally and control their descent before opening a parachute.
