Scottish wingsuit flyer Liam Byrne dies during Swiss Alps jump
Liam Byrne, from Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire, was critically injured on the Gitschen mountain on Saturday, BBC Scotland has reported.
The 24-year-old reportedly lost control after jumping from the 7874ft (2400m) Swiss mountain.
Byrne, who was a British champion, was described as a very experienced wingsuit flyer - a type of skydiving which involves wearing a special suit with webbing to allow mid-air lift - and had completed hundreds of jumps during his career.
READ MORE: Bomb squad called and busy bridge closed after 'explosive' found
His parents, Mike and Gillian, confirmed to BBC Scotland News that their son had died.
A statement said: "Though he has now flown beyond our reach, he will always be with us."
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) confirmed it was supporting the family of a British man who died in Switzerland.
Police have not yet released the man's name as they continued to appeal for witnesses to the accident, the Mirror reported.
A police spokesperson said: 'On Saturday three wingsuit flyers launched a jump from Mount Gitschen at around 2400 metres above sea level in the direction of Seedorf.
'One of the jumpers, a 24-year-old man from the United Kingdom, deviated from the planned course shortly after take-off for reasons that are still unclear and crashed into a rocky outcrop at approximately 2100 metres above sea level.
'He sustained fatal injuries.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
North Wales Live
an hour ago
- North Wales Live
British wingsuit flyer dies during jump in Switzerland
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. A spokesperson for the local police force said: 'On Saturday, June 21, 2025, shortly before 12:00, three wingsuit pilots launched a jump from Gitschen at approximately 2,400 metres above sea level toward Seedorf. 'One of the jumpers, a 24-year-old man from Great Britain, deviated from his intended course shortly after take-off for reasons still unknown and crashed into a rocky outcrop at approximately 2,100 metres above sea level. He suffered fatal injuries.' The Uri Cantonal Police called for witnesses to come forward and assist the investigation in 'clarifying the cause of the accident'. The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland is conducting the investigation alongside the Public Prosecutor's Office of Uri, police added. 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. '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.' 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'. A spokesperson for the Foreign Office said on Monday: 'We are supporting the family of a British man who died in Switzerland and are in contact with the local authorities.'
Leader Live
an hour ago
- Leader Live
Tributes to wingsuit flyer, 24, who died in crash in Swiss Alps
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. A spokesperson for the local police force said: 'On Saturday June 21 2025, shortly before 12:00, three wingsuit pilots launched a jump from Gitschen at approximately 2,400 metres above sea level toward Seedorf. 'One of the jumpers, a 24-year-old man from Great Britain, deviated from his intended course shortly after take-off for reasons still unknown and crashed into a rocky outcrop at approximately 2,100 metres above sea level. 'He suffered fatal injuries.' The Uri Cantonal Police called for witnesses to come forward and assist the investigation in 'clarifying the cause of the accident'. The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland is conducting the investigation alongside the Public Prosecutor's Office of Uri, police added. 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. '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.' 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'. A spokesperson for the Foreign Office said on Monday: 'We are supporting the family of a British man who died in Switzerland, and are in contact with the local authorities.'
The Independent
2 hours ago
- The Independent
Main suspect in Madeleine McCann disappearance could be free within months
An outstanding fine against the main suspect in the 2007 disappearance of British toddler Madeleine McCann in Portugal has been paid off, German prosecutors said Monday. It means he could be released from prison in a separate case in mid-September instead of January 2026. Prosecutors in Braunschweig confirmed that an unpaid fine of about €1,450 against the suspect — a German national identified by media as Christian Brueckner — has been paid, German news agency dpa reported, without giving further details. The payment moves forward his potential release date to 17 September. Brueckner has not been charged in the McCann case, in which he is under investigation on suspicion of murder. He spent many years in Portugal, including in the Algarve resort of Praia da Luz around the time of Madeleine's disappearance. He has denied any involvement in her disappearance. Investigators in the UK, Portugal and Germany are still piecing together what happened on the night 3-year-old Madeleine disappeared. She was in the same room as her brother and sister — 2-year-old twins — while their parents, Kate and Gerry, had dinner with friends at a nearby restaurant. The outstanding fine was in connection with earlier cases against the suspect related to forgery and bodily harm, the weekly Der Spiegel reported. He faced spending an extra 111 days in prison because he could not pay the money himself. Der Spiegel reported that a former employee of Germany's Federal Criminal Police Office paid the fine, but she had told the magazine she had tried to rescind the payment when she found out what it was really for. In January this year Braunschweig Chief Public Prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters admitted there was no current prospect of charging Brueckner over Madeleine's disappearance, as police were still trying to secure forensic evidence linking him to the case. Then in March, Wolters confirmed to The Independent that Brueckner had filed a motion for early release. German police were in early June granted permission to undertake a widespread search of key areas in Portugal in a hunt for evidence, including Madeleine's body. The search, running from 2 June to 6 June, focussed on an area around the spot where Brueckner had been living at the time of Madeleine's disappearance. German authorities called the search 'very constructive' and said it ended as planned.
