BASE jumping questions in the States

Monday 05 June 2017

A Jersey deputy wants to know what actions, if any, the Minister for Home Affairs is taking to dissuade people from BASE jumping from tall buildings in the Island.

Deputy Kevin Lewis’s questions to Deputy Kristina Moore in tomorrow’s States have been prompted by a recent incident in which a BASE jumper was filmed leaping off the top of La Collette flats and landing in the nearby car park.

The 24 second video, which was posted on the Jersey Peeps Facebook page, has had thousands of views and prompted numerous comments both from those praising the dare devil act and from those claiming it was a foolish thing to do which endangered both the jumper and the public. The descent takes around seven seconds.

BASE jumping – an acronym of the structures from which people jump - buildings, antenna, spans (bridges) and earth (cliffs) - is considered one of the most dangerous activities in the world. One report claimed it has a fatality and injury rate 43 times as high as parachuting from a plane.

When initially contacted, the States of Jersey Police commented:

"We have been made aware of a video circulating which appears to show somebody jumping from the top of a high rise building with a parachute (B.A.S.E. jumping).  We do not know whether this is genuine or when this was taken and neither can we identify the individual concerned at this stage. 

"Together with our colleagues in the States of Jersey Fire and Rescue Service and Ambulance Service we would like to remind people of the real dangers of such activity for both the person jumping and anyone nearby."

They later said no charges were likely since the jumper hadn’t broken any laws.

Andium Homes who are responsible for the flats say the jumper didn’t break his way onto the roof.