17-07-2025
Aussie father is killed in freak accident during BASE jumping competition in Italy
An Australian father has died in a 'freak' BASE jumping accident during a competition in northern Italy.
Perth man James Nowland, 42, died about 1pm on Wednesday following a failed jump from the summit of Sass Pordoi, a rocky plateau in the Dolomites.
Investigators believe a technical issue prevented him from opening his parachute.
He is believed to have crashed onto a road some 400metres adrift from his planned landing spot during an international competition.
Rescue teams rushed to his location by land and helicopter but were unable to revive him.
'We tried to do our best to save (him)... there was nothing to do for him,' rescuer Andrea Dorigatti told Seven News.
'I asked the friends and they told me that the problem was with the parachute that didn't get open.'
Mr Nowland's brother Andrew issued a heartfelt tribute on social media after learning of the tragic accident.
'Hope you're soaring through the clouds doing what you love forever,' he said.
Friends reportedly described the incident as the result of a 'freak' accident.
Accidents are an unavoidable part of the extreme sport, with Mr Nowland having publicly mourned his own friend's death in an accident in Switzerland last year.
The 42-year-old was an experienced BASE jumper, whose social media pages are littered with heart-stopping footage of his past conquests.
The beloved adventurer leaves behind a wife and children.
