Australian base-jumper dies in France

An Australian base-jumper has plunged to his death off the 2600-metre peak of Brevent in the French Alps.

A 35-year-old Australian man plunged to his death in southeastern France while attempting to parachute off a cliff in the extreme sport known as base-jumping.

Police said the man had thrown himself off the 2600-metre peak of Brevent in the French Alps on Sunday.

Rescue workers said he likely died on impact. He was found "several hundred metres lower in a wooded area below the site," they said.

An investigation has been launched to determine the exact cause of the accident.

On August 6, two base-jumpers, one from Switzerland, the other from France, died in similar accidents in the Alps.

A base-jump is defined as a leap off a fixed high point - the name being an acronym for Building, Antenna, Span (such as bridges) and Earth (natural settings).

The sport carries high risks. A Norwegian study published in 2007 concluded that base-jumping is five to eight times more likely than skydiving to result in injury or death.


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