OZ Accident . . .
These two articles are from the Aussie press . . . in the second piece, it sounds like he's injured badly. NickD
BASE 194
BASE jumper seriously injured after 150m fall
September 3, 2005 - 6:02PM
A seriously injured BASE jumper was winched to safety after spending six hours perched on a ledge 150 metres down a cliff face in the NSW Blue Mountains today.
Police are investigating the incident but say the man's health will take priority over any possible charges.
The 26-year-old was BASE jumping with friends near Pierces Pass, Bilpin, west of Sydney, about 7.30am (AEST) when he fell 150 metres from the top of a cliff, authorities said.
A Westpac Lifesaver Helicopter spokesman said the man suffered multiple injuries including two broken legs, a fractured pelvis and suspected spinal injury.
"We successfully rescued a 26-year-old male BASE jumper after he fell 150 metres off a cliff at Pierces Pass," the westpac spokesman said.
The spokesman said if the man had not landed on the ledge, he'd have fallen another 80 metres to the bottom.
"A Westpac Lifesaver rescue medical team, including specialist paramedics and doctor, abseiled down the cliff face in a dangerous operation which took almost six hours.
"It looks like a BASE jump gone wrong."
The man was flown to the Nepean Hospital in a serious condition, the spokesman said.
Police said they were investigating the matter. BASE jumping is illegal in Australia.
BASE is an acronym for the buildings, antennae, spans (bridges) and earth (cliffs) from which enthusiasts parachute.
"There will be an investigation and any charges are at the discretion of the investigators," a police spokesman said today.
"Obviously, the man's health is a priority at this stage and we'll take it from there."
The dangerous sport recently claimed the life of Australian thrill-seeker Darcy Zoitsas.
Mr Zoitsas, 39, was killed in July after a jump went wrong off the spectacular 1000 metre-high Kjerag cliff, in western Norway.
AAP
BASE-jumper breaks legs, faces charges
By Hannah Edwards
September 4, 2005
The Sun-Herald
A BASE-jumper who was critically injured after jumping off a cliff in the Blue Mountains yesterday faces criminal charges.
The 26-year-old man suffered two broken legs, a fractured pelvis and suspected spinal injuries after his jump from Pearce's Pass, a popular BASE-jumping site near Bilpin, went wrong.
BASE-jumping, where thrill-seekers leap off high cliffs and free-fall before releasing a parachute, has resulted in many injuries and deaths and is illegal in Australia.
About 150 metres into the fall into the Grose Valley the man's parachute is believed to have hit a rock, knocking him off kilter and onto a ledge.
Rescuers say that if he had not landed there he would have fallen another 80 metres.
The man spent more than six hours wedged on the ledge as specialist emergency teams carried out a rescue.
A police media spokesperson said the man may face criminal charges.
Several Australians attempting dare-devil BASE-jumps around the world have been injured.
In April, a man was seriously injured after BASE-jumping off the Sydney Harbour Bridge and a BASE-jumper died in Norway in July after leaping off the 1000-metre-high Kjerag Peak.
http://www.smh.com.au/...3/1125302777734.html