BASE jumper Valery Rozov dies on Ama Dablam
Ryder Cup 2018 final day: Europe vs USA, Sunday singles
BASE jumper Valery Rozov died yesterday in an accident in the Himalaya, according to local press reports. Although there is still no official confirmation of the events, according to local media the Russian extreme sports star died on Mount Ama Dablam in Nepal during a wingsuit flight when he collided with a sheer rock wall.
As reported in the Himalayan Times, Mingma Gelu Sherpa, managing director at the Kathmandu-based Seven Summit Adventure confirmed the tragic news, with eyewitnesses saying that Rozov had "crashed into a clif while jumping... in a wingsuit". Sherpa said that a helicopter had been sent to the region to airlift his body to Kathmandu.
Record BASE jumper Rozov
Rozov, who was 52, was a record BASE jumper, whose achievements included a jump in 2016 from 7,700 metres on Cho Oyu. The star was currently involved on the 'Seven Summits' project, aiming to make the highest jumps in history on each of the seven continents. He had made jumps on Kilimanjaro in Africa, Huascarán in South America, Elbrus in Europe, Ulvetanna in Antarctica and the previously metioned Cho Oyu in Asia.
Rozov had posted various images on social media in the past few days from his expedition to Ama Dablam. These images are now being replied to with messages of shock and disbelief at his passing by friends and followers.
Wingsuit jumpers can reach speeds of over 200 km/h and despite having a high degree of control over their flight, they are highly exposed to unexpected gusts of wind, though there are no indications as yet that this is what happened to Rozov.
Just how close the jumpers get to the ground can be seen in this video recently posted by Rozov on his Instagram account.
From everyone here at AS Acción we would like to share in the messages of condolence for the death of Valery Rozov, and are sure he will go down in the history books as a true legend of BASE jumping.