bad news from Switzerland...

Monday, 2nd April 2001, an experienced belgian jumper died while BASE-jumping in Switzerland. During a 3-way with another belgian and a french jumper, he impacted the wall probably during opening sequence. Aperently, he was back-tracking and might lost awareness of altitude. The Air-Glacier-Doctor reached him 15 min. later by helicopter, but the jumper was dead already.

This fatal accident and the helicopter-rescue (sunday 1st of April) within 2 days are too much for this little valley. TV-Channels and Newspapers are strongly covering those events and legal BASE-jumping in Switzerland is in danger.

In accordance with the local organisations, we are asking everybody NOT TO BASE-JUMP IN THE BERNER OBERLAND (area Interlaken & Meiringen) UNTIL THE END OF THE MONTH APRIL !!! To all foreign jumpers who had plans to come (on easter f.ex.), please cancel your trip to Switzerland.
(please spread the word)

This is a serious issue, we need the help of the whole BASE-community to keep the area legal. If we don't follow this suspension of jumping, we might have a Yosemite-Situation here as well...

the Swiss BASE Association