British wingsuit flyer dies during jump in Switzerland
British wingsuit flyer dies during jump in Switzerland
Liam Byrne has previously featured in a BBC documentary about the sport
Liam Byrne died jumping from the Gitschen mountain in Switzerland
(Image: Alamy/PA )
A wingsuit flyer has died during a jump in the Swiss Alps, according to reports. Liam Byrne, 24, died in a fatal crash on the Gitschen mountain in Switzerland, after taking off from 7,874ft (2,400 metres), the BBC reported.
In November, Mr Byrne featured in a BBC documentary, The Boy Who Can Fly, about his journey to becoming a champion skydiver. His parents, Mike and Gillian, confirmed to BBC Scotland News that their son had died, and paid tribute to his 'wild energy' and 'contagious laugh'.
The Byrne family said: 'We would like to remember Liam not just for the way he left this world, but for how he lived in it.
'Liam was fearless, not necessarily because he wasn't afraid but because he refused to let fear hold him back. He chased life in a way that most of us only dream of and he soared.
'Skydiving and base jumping was more than just a thrill for Liam – it was freedom. It was where he felt most alive.
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'Liam was more than just an adventurer. He was a son, brother, grandson, cousin and friend. He was a source of laughter and strength.
'He inspired all of us and made life better with his bold spirit and kind heart. We will miss Liam's wild energy and contagious laugh.
'Though he has now flown beyond our reach, he will always be with us.'
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The documentary screened on November 8 showed Liam and his father, Mike, as Mr Byrne prepared for a wingsuit jump off Mannlichen mountain in Switzerland.
Speaking in the documentary, Mr Byrne, from Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire, said that 'an office job scares me far more than the fear of dying from a base jump or wingsuit flight'.
The Foreign Office was approached for comment by the Press Association.
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