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Daily Record
4 hours ago
- Daily Record
What is wingsuit flying as Scot tragically dies in Swiss Alps base jump
Liam Byrne, 24, suffered fatal injuries when on the Gitschen mountain on Saturday after taking off from 7,784ft (2,400m). A Scots wingsuit flyer tragically died during a jump in the Swiss Alps on Saturday, June 21. Liam Byrne, 24, suffered fatal injuries when jumping from the Gitschen mountain at 7,784ft (2,400m). The 24-year-old from Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire was described as a very experienced wingsuit flyer. His father, Mike Byrne, paid tribute from Switzerland, telling BBC Scotland News: "Though he has now flown beyond our reach, he will always be with us." In a touching statement his family described Liam as "fearless" who inspired them through his "kind spirit" and "bold heart". The statement read: "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." But as the tragic accident makes headlines, questions have risen on exactly what wingsuit flying entails, and the risks associated with this extreme hobby. Here's everything you need to know about wingsuit flying. What is wingsuit flying? Wingsuit flying, also known as wingsuit jumping or simply wingsuiting, is a form of skydiving in which the diver wears a winged suit with fabric extending between their arms and legs. The extra fabric of the suit forms a webbed effect which allows them to glide through the air after jumping from a plane or another high point. By shifting the position of their body, the diver can control their fall and 'fly' through the air, before using a parachute to land safely. This extreme sport requires extensive training to be carried out safely, and it comes with its fair share of risks. How dangerous is wingsuit flying? According to Explorers Web, more than 400 people have died doing this extreme sport since 1981. The death rate for wingsuiting is an astonishing one death per 500 jumps, and it is statistically much more dangerous than ordinary skydiving. Liam Byrne's family continued their touching statement to the flyer who had successfully completed hundreds of jumps in the past, and starred in a BBC documentary The Boy Who Can Fly last November. The statement added: "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." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
British wingsuit champion Liam Byrne, 24, dies in Swiss Alps base jump
A 24-year-old British wingsuit flyer was killed on Saturday during a base jump in the Swiss Alps, local police said in a statement. The man was later named as Liam Byrne by his parents, who released a statement to the BBC, paying tribute to their son's 'bold spirit and kind heart.' Byrne was experienced in wingsuit flying, a strand of skydiving that involves wearing a specially designed suit to maximise gliding time before deploying a parachute. He became a British champion in the sport in 2022, recording the fastest speed in the advanced category. More recently, he was the subject of a BBC documentary, 'The Boy Who Can Fly,' which traced his dreams of flying like a bird and his careful preparations to do so. On Saturday, he and two other wingsuit flyers launched a jump from the Gitschen mountain in central Switzerland at approximately 2,400 meters (7,900 feet) above sea level, but he deviated from his intended course for unknown reasons, Swiss police said. He crashed into a rocky outcrop at approximately 2,100 meters (6,900 feet) above sea level and suffered fatal injuries, the statement added. CNN has reached out to Byrne's family and Britain's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office for comment. Growing up in Stonehaven, a small town on Scotland's northeast coast, Byrne was always drawn to adventure and extreme sports. According to his LinkedIn profile, he had climbed Mount Kilimanjaro by the age of 12, covered 500 kilometers (310 miles) with his own team of huskies through Norway, Sweden and Finland by 14 and qualified as a skydiving instructor by 19. '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,' his family said in its statement. 'Skydiving and base jumping was more than just a thrill for Liam – it was freedom. It was where he felt most alive.'
The Herald Scotland
5 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Aberdeenshire wingsuit jumper remembered after tragic death
In a statement, Byrne's parents, Mike and Gillian, paid tribute to his "wild energy" and "contagious laugh.' They told BBC Scotland: "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. Though he has now flown beyond our reach, he will always be with us." Read more: Ex-Labour MP George Galloway backs second independence referendum Remote Scottish island launches nationwide plastic clean-up campaign Explosions heard in Qatar as UK Embassy tells citizens to shelter in place Residents of Stonehaven, a small town south of Aberdeen where Byrne was from, took to social media to pay homage to the champion jumper. Janice Lagdon called Byrne 'an amazing lad', while Anne Forrest added: 'So very sad. He was a lovely lad. Condolences to his lovely family.' Mike Smith noted: 'Absolutely heartbreaking to read this - Thoughts go to all the family and friends through this difficult time and R.I.P Liam - you most certainly lived life to the full following your dreams.' 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." In November, Mr Byrne featured in a BBC documentary, The Boy Who Can Fly, about his journey to becoming a champion skydiver. The documentary, screened in November last year, showed Byrne and his father, Mike, as he prepared for a wingsuit jump off Mannlichen mountain in Switzerland.
Times
5 hours ago
- Times
British champion wingsuit flyer dies during jump in Swiss Alps
Police in Switzerland have launched a criminal investigation after a Scottish wingsuit flyer died during a jump in the Alps. Liam Byrne, a 24-year-old British champion, was critically injured on the Gitschen, a mountain in the Urner Alps, on Saturday. He took off from 2,400 metres (7,874ft) and veered off course for unknown reasons. Wingsuit flying is a form of skydiving in which a special suit with webbing is worn to generate lift and allow wearers to glide through the air. Byrne, from Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire, was an experienced flyer and had completed thousands of jumps during his career. He recently featured in the BBC documentary, The Boy Who Can Fly, which followed his rise to becoming Britain's youngest wingsuit flyer on his 17th birthday, after dreaming as a child of taking to the skies.
North Wales Chronicle
6 hours ago
- North Wales Chronicle
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.'
