LOGAN — A 27-year-old man died Sunday morning after a wingsuit BASE jump went fatally wrong in the mountains east of Hyrum, local authorities said.
Emergency responders were alerted at approximately 9:10 a.m. on Sept. 27 to an accident near Leetham’s Hollow, located just east of Millville Canyon. The area is a popular destination for extreme sports enthusiasts.
According to Cache County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Doyle Peck, the man was part of a group of eight to 10 individuals participating in BASE jumping—an extreme sport involving parachuting or wingsuit flying from fixed structures or natural cliffs.
Authorities said the jumper was experienced in the activity and had completed numerous jumps in the past. During the Sunday morning outing, he leaped from a height of approximately 700 feet. However, during the descent, his wingsuit failed to generate sufficient lift. He struck the terrain at a high rate of speed and was pronounced dead at the scene.
A medical helicopter from Life Flight and an aircraft from the Utah Department of Public Safety were dispatched to assist search and rescue teams in the rugged terrain. Life Flight personnel confirmed the victim’s death on scene and assisted first responders with the recovery and extraction of the body.
Officials have withheld the victim’s identity pending the notification of his family.
Multiple agencies joined the emergency response effort, including Cache County Search and Rescue, Cache County Fire, and deputies from the Cache County Sheriff’s Office.
In a statement released following the incident, Peck expressed condolences to those affected and commended the multi-agency coordination required during the emergency recovery operation.
“We appreciate all of the professionals who responded to this accident in addition to Life Flight and the DPS helicopter,” Peck said, noting the assistance of search and rescue teams, fire crews, and sheriff’s deputies. “We also extend our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of this individual.”
BASE jumping, an acronym standing for Building, Antenna, Span, and Earth, carries inherent risks due to the low altitudes from which jumpers deploy their parachutes or wingsuits. Unlike standard skydiving, which typically takes place thousands of feet above the ground, BASE jumps leave participants with only seconds to deploy gear or adjust flight trajectories in the event of equipment malfunction or adverse aerodynamics.
The incident remains under review by local authorities.