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Norwegian wingsuiter dies in the Ensa coulior
by Robin Deering | Ski Editor | published: 24th Jul, 2012A forty year old Norwegian man has died in Chamonix following a wingsuit flight in which he was unable to open his parachute, Chamonix mountain rescue services have reported. A second wingsuiter from South Africa was also seriously injured at the same time and taken to hospital in Sallanches.
Brevent Wingsuit Spotcredit: rochmalnuit.com
Since the start of the summer and the opening of the wingsuit lines off the Brevent, Chamonix has become a hot-spot for wingsuit jumps and until now the new sport has been embraced by Chamonix, the extreme sports capital.
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The Norwegian man jumped from Brevent (2,525 meters), with his wingsuit he set off down the couloir de l’Ensa line however "He hit the ground without having had time to open his chute" said the PGHM rescue services.
Alerted at 18:00, the PGHM found the body of the victim at about 1,800 meters.
Another man, a native of South Africa, had also jumped from the Brévent moments after the Norwegian jump and was said to have suffered a crash. He was found seriously injured and taken to the hospital in Sallanches.
"He is not in a critical condition but has suffered multiple fractures to his legs" reports the PGHM.
The death of the wingsuiter has set alarm bells ringing and a meeting is due today between the PGHM and the Chamonix mayor to discuss the future of this sport in the Chamonix valley.
At present a prefectural order prohibits flights from the Aiguille du Midi during July and August to reduce the charge for the PGHM.
Could this prefectural order be extended to the Brevent - probably not as it would penalise the paragliding community.
A decision is expected today from the Chamonix town-hall.