73-year-old Base jumper died after setting his parachute on fire as part of a stunt

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73-year-old Base jumper died after setting his parachute on fire as part of a stunt

PUBLISHED : Thursday, 21 May, 2015, 10:11pm
UPDATED : Thursday, 21 May, 2015, 10:16pm

Associated Press in Twin Falls, Idaho

A video of the fatal jump, posted to YouTube on Monday, shows James E Hickey engulfed in flames and falling from the Perrine Bridge into the Snake River, 150 metres below. Photo: Youtube

Authorities say a 73-year-old Base jumper who died after leaping from an Idaho bridge had set his parachute on fire as a stunt.

A graphic video of the fatal jump, posted to YouTube on Monday, shows someone engulfed in flames and falling from the Perrine Bridge into the Snake River, 150 metres below.



James E Hickey had apparently planned to ditch the flaming parachute and deploy a second chute in the May 7 stunt.

Professional Base jumper Sean Chuma told the local Twin Falls newspaper The Times-News he had heard Hickey had previously successfully performed the stunt when skydiving.

The initial report from the Twin Falls County Sheriff's Office said only that Hickey's parachute deployed too late.

The video shows two Base jumpers climbing over the railing of the Perrine Bridge and leaping at about the same time.

But while one jumper glides safely away underneath a parachute, the other becomes engulfed in a fireball and falls quickly out of view.

The video pans back to the river just after the burning jumper hits the water. A boat arrives seconds later, and the video ends.

A coroner's report said Hickey, of Claremont, California, died of blunt force trauma.

The acronym "Base" stands for building, antenna, span and earth - the types of places from which jumpers leap.