Lauterbrunnen basejumper saved in nighttime operation
The Local - [email protected]
Published: 11 Apr, 2017 CET.
Updated: Tue 11 Apr 2017 09:12 CET
A basejumper who found himself in a precarious predicament last week was rescued after a delicate operation by air rescue service Air Glaciers.
The service received an emergency call in the early evening of April 6th to say a basejumper was injured and stuck on a steep section of cliff after jumping from a place called ‘Exit High Nose’, Air Glaciers said in a statement this week.
Taking place in darkness, the rescue operation lasted several hours and required two helicopters – one hovered stationary to shine a light on the scene while the other was used to rescue the man using a 150m sling operated by helicopter rescue specialists from the local branch of the Swiss Alpine Club.
Three doctors attended the injured man at the scene before he was flown to hospital in Bern.
It was a “delicate operation that ended well thanks to the cooperation of specialists from different partners,” said Air Glaciers
With its high cliffs, Lauterbrunnen in the Bernese Oberland is a popular spot for basejumping, the extreme sport of jumping from on high, usually wearing a wingsuit, and ‘flying’ through the air at speeds of up to 200km/hr before deploying a parachute.
The sport has claimed several lives in the area over the last few years, with many more injured including one American man last year who broke his legs when he smashed into the cliffs.
This video shows exactly what it's like to jump from the 'Exit High Nose'.
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The service received an emergency call in the early evening of April 6th to say a basejumper was injured and stuck on a steep section of cliff after jumping from a place called ‘Exit High Nose’, Air Glaciers said in a statement this week.
Taking place in darkness, the rescue operation lasted several hours and required two helicopters – one hovered stationary to shine a light on the scene while the other was used to rescue the man using a 150m sling operated by helicopter rescue specialists from the local branch of the Swiss Alpine Club.
Three doctors attended the injured man at the scene before he was flown to hospital in Bern.
It was a “delicate operation that ended well thanks to the cooperation of specialists from different partners,” said Air Glaciers
With its high cliffs, Lauterbrunnen in the Bernese Oberland is a popular spot for basejumping, the extreme sport of jumping from on high, usually wearing a wingsuit, and ‘flying’ through the air at speeds of up to 200km/hr before deploying a parachute.
The sport has claimed several lives in the area over the last few years, with many more injured including one American man last year who broke his legs when he smashed into the cliffs.
This video shows exactly what it's like to jump from the 'Exit High Nose'.
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