Norwegian dies in an attempt of base jumping from the Eiffel Tower

Marla_Singer

United in diversity
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PARIS - A 31-year-old Norwegian man died late Monday in an unauthorized parachute jump from the second level of the Eiffel Tower, police said Tuesday, launching an inquiry into the accident.

According to investigators, three Norwegians were attempting to film an advertisement for a clothing line at the famed Paris landmark.

One jumped from the second level of the tower, 115 meters (380 feet) up, but he did not clear the first level of the iron structure, and died instantly after smashing into the metal beams, police said.

The Eiffel Tower, which stands 324 meters high, draws six million visitors a year, making it one of the world's most popular tourist attractions.

A tower spokesman told AFP that barriers had been placed "everywhere" to prevent people from committing suicide by jumping from the structure, adding that parachuting accidents were even more rare.

But the tower's criss-crossing beams make it possible for people to sneak through.

The spokesman said, without offering specific figures, that suicides were rare at the tower, noting: "There are some years when there are two or three, but other years when there are no suicides at all."

He added that all requests to scale the tower or jump from it were systematically denied.

Police said two more Norwegians were intercepted by private security guards earlier as they tried to reach the top of the 210-meter Montparnasse tower on the other side of Paris, apparently to prepare for a similar leap. The two "base-jumpers" - parachutists who jump from a fixed point and not an aircraft - are being questioned. The police had detained an accomplice of the man who died as he climbed the tower along with him.

The Eiffel tower has attracted quite a few daredevils since its opening at the 1889 World's Fair. A British couple successfully parachuted from the top deck in 1984, while a New Zealander bungee-jumped off the second level in 1987. However, hundreds have died too, mostly in suicides.

A spokeswoman for SNTE, the company that maintains the tower, said security measures meant very few parachutists or hang-gliders managed to leap from the monument. In one recorded incident, an Austrian named Franz Reichelt, jumped from the first floor with a parachute of his own invention in 1912. He did not survive.

RIMG0732.JPG
Anyone who climbed on the Eiffel Tower knows that we are sure to fall on the first level once jumping from the second level. :shakehead
 
Ramius75 said:
Have to blame those James bond shows.... anyway, did anyone successfully did a base jump there ??
I guess that after this. No one will never try anymore. Especially that it's true the company managing the Eiffel Tower is pretty tough to give such authorization...

This being said, I truely wonder if such a base jumping from the eiffel Tower could really be succesful, even from the third floor. The curve of the tower doesn't really help. And it's not easy to run before jumping in order to get as far as possible from the tower.
 
It's part of the self cleaning mechanism of the gene pool. :D
 
Marla_Singer said:
I guess that after this. No one will never try anymore. Especially that it's true the company managing the Eiffel Tower is pretty tough to give such authorization...

This being said, I truely wonder if such a base jumping from the eiffel Tower could really be succesful, even from the third floor. The curve of the tower doesn't really help. And it's not easy to run before jumping in order to get as far as possible from the tower.

From the looks of the tower, i think there is a higher chance of success jumping from the third floor than the 2nd... i remember there is 1 scene in a view to a kill if im not wrong that they show someone base jump from the tower. it maybe SFX thou.

There are always risk in base jumiping and climbing tall building, thats why the so called "spiderman" Alain Robert always has a hard time getting application too, he is TOO famous to be killed by the building if he failed.. bad publicity.
 
Babbler said:
I say he done a great survice to Norway and the world for his removal from the human gene pool.

He must be rewarded soon.
Not neccearily, risky behavior is not considered awardable if they are aware of and accept the risks.
 
Looking at the Eiffel Tower's shape, To launch anything from any level and expect it to clear the structure and hit the ground, parachute or not, you need bring along a catapult... :crazyeye:

A hang-glider would work though, if launched high enough.
 
It is a flawed design. If they built the Eifel tower the other way around, this could never happen!
 
Perfection said:
Not neccearily, risky behavior is not considered awardable if they are aware of and accept the risks.
Harks back to the history is written by the winners issue. Had the winds been favourable, he would have expanded his influence in the human gene pool.
 
Damned.

You guys are good at finding bad stories about Norway and Norwegians.

Munch, the man who sued for the lollipop thing and now this.

It's a tragedy though :sad: But every base jumper knows the risk.
 
I think my Red Forman quote in my sig sums this one up quite nicely.
 
A'AbarachAmadan said:
I think my Red Forman quote in my sig sums this one up quite nicely.
That's a quote from that 70's show right ?

Perfection said:
Not neccearily, risky behavior is not considered awardable if they are aware of and accept the risks.
Well of course, I agree with you. However, I'm not really sure we can keep on calling this "risk" when there's actually no chance to succeed at all !

Here's a little drawing to explain you better my idea : :)

eiffelturm.jpg
 
Maybe he slipped and missed his planned wind gust?
 
I could never figure out the purpose of the Eiffel Tower. Now I know. It's some sort of giant bug lamp to lure hapless Scandos to their deaths.

And there was me thinking that the French were just a bunch of wine sodden, garlic munchers. When in fact the Eiffel Tower is a work of genius.

We should build more Eiffel Towers ( in scandanavian nations for best effect ) and finally rid Europe of the threat posed by big blonde numpties.
 
Well of course, I agree with you. However, I'm not really sure we can keep on calling this "risk" when there's actually no chance to succeed at all !

Here's a little drawing to explain you better my idea

LMAO

When you consider the additional weight of hes gear / parashaut it would indeed take superhuman effet to clear the tower.

Although that "splash" makes it sound like hes landing into water.
More apporiate would be a short sickening "crunch"
 
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