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| Liam Byrne: Wingsuit flyer dies after jump off Gitschen in Swiss Alps | Liam Byrne: Wingsuit flyer dies after jump off Gitschen in Swiss Alps |
| (1 day later) | |
| Liam Byrne, from Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire, was featured jumping from a mountain top in a recent BBC documentary called "The Boy Who Can Fly" | Liam Byrne, from Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire, was featured jumping from a mountain top in a recent BBC documentary called "The Boy Who Can Fly" |
| A Scottish wingsuit flyer has died during a jump in the Swiss Alps. | A Scottish wingsuit flyer has died during a jump in the Swiss Alps. |
| British champion Liam Byrne, 24, was critically injured on the Gitschen mountain on Saturday after taking off from 7,874ft (2,400m). | British champion Liam Byrne, 24, was critically injured on the Gitschen mountain on Saturday after taking off from 7,874ft (2,400m). |
| Mr Byrne, from Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire, featured in a 2024 BBC documentary called The Boy Who Can Fly. | Mr Byrne, from Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire, featured in a 2024 BBC documentary called The Boy Who Can Fly. |
| He was described as a very experienced wingsuit flyer - which is a type of skydiving which involves wearing a special suit with webbing to allow mid-air lift - and had completed more than 4,000 jumps during his 10-year flying career. | |
| Mr Byrne had told the documentary: "I think I was about 13 when I said to my dad that I wanted to learn to fly like a bird." | Mr Byrne had told the documentary: "I think I was about 13 when I said to my dad that I wanted to learn to fly like a bird." |
| Liam Byrne completed more than 4,000 jumps during his career | Liam Byrne completed more than 4,000 jumps during his career |
| The skydiving instructor explained: "Even at school I would stare out the window at the seagulls flying and always feeling that sense of envy that they have that freedom to just take off and fly away. | The skydiving instructor explained: "Even at school I would stare out the window at the seagulls flying and always feeling that sense of envy that they have that freedom to just take off and fly away. |
| "I do wonder why I love flying so much? Maybe my brain is wired differently to other people's, maybe I deal with fear differently. | "I do wonder why I love flying so much? Maybe my brain is wired differently to other people's, maybe I deal with fear differently. |
| "But I know myself well enough to know that an office job scares me far more than the fear of dying from a base jump or wingsuit flight." | "But I know myself well enough to know that an office job scares me far more than the fear of dying from a base jump or wingsuit flight." |
| Mr Byrne said no matter how safe he tried to make the sport, he did think about how much it worried his family. | Mr Byrne said no matter how safe he tried to make the sport, he did think about how much it worried his family. |
| He told the documentary makers that preparation was key to being safe. | He told the documentary makers that preparation was key to being safe. |
| "I've spent the last decade training to increase the skills and decrease any risk. | "I've spent the last decade training to increase the skills and decrease any risk. |
| "For me I'm about as far from a reckless adrenaline junkie as you can possibly get. | "For me I'm about as far from a reckless adrenaline junkie as you can possibly get. |
| "Preparation is always been at the heart of all my challenges. | "Preparation is always been at the heart of all my challenges. |
| "The more I prepare, the more control I have." | "The more I prepare, the more control I have." |
| Extreme sports | Extreme sports |
| Mr Byrne took to extreme sports from a young age. | Mr Byrne took to extreme sports from a young age. |
| At 12 he climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, a peak in Tanzania, Africa, standing at 19,341ft (5,895 metres) high. | At 12 he climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, a peak in Tanzania, Africa, standing at 19,341ft (5,895 metres) high. |
| That adventure led to dog-sledging through the Arctic, scuba diving and multiple big summit climbs. | That adventure led to dog-sledging through the Arctic, scuba diving and multiple big summit climbs. |
| By the age of 14 he was a licensed paraglider; at 16 he did his first sky dive and by 18 he was pulling on a wingsuit which he described as a "second skin, letting me move through the air in a controlled way". | |
| Liam Byrne's parents Mike and Gillian paid tribute to his life | Liam Byrne's parents Mike and Gillian paid tribute to his life |
| Mr Byrne's parents, Mike and Gillian, confirmed to BBC Scotland News that their son had died. | Mr Byrne's parents, Mike and Gillian, confirmed to BBC Scotland News that their son had died. |
| A family statement said: "We would like to remember Liam not just for the way he left this world, but for how he lived in it. | A family statement said: "We would like to remember Liam not just for the way he left this world, but for how he lived in it. |
| "Liam was fearless, not necessarily because he wasn't afraid but because he refused to let fear hold him back. | "Liam was fearless, not necessarily because he wasn't afraid but because he refused to let fear hold him back. |
| "He chased life in a way that most of us only dream of and he soared. | "He chased life in a way that most of us only dream of and he soared. |
| "Skydiving and base jumping was more than just a thrill for Liam - it was freedom. | "Skydiving and base jumping was more than just a thrill for Liam - it was freedom. |
| "It was where he felt most alive." | "It was where he felt most alive." |
| The Gitschen mountain was the scene of Mr Byrne's death | The Gitschen mountain was the scene of Mr Byrne's death |
| The statement added: "Liam was more than just an adventurer. He was a son, brother, grandson, cousin and friend. He was a source of laughter and strength. | The statement added: "Liam was more than just an adventurer. He was a son, brother, grandson, cousin and friend. He was a source of laughter and strength. |
| "He inspired all of us and made life better with his bold spirit and kind heart. | "He inspired all of us and made life better with his bold spirit and kind heart. |
| "We will miss Liam's wild energy and contagious laugh. | "We will miss Liam's wild energy and contagious laugh. |
| "Though he has now flown beyond our reach, he will always be with us." | "Though he has now flown beyond our reach, he will always be with us." |
| Filmed in 2019: The teenage wingsuit flyer going for gold | Filmed in 2019: The teenage wingsuit flyer going for gold |
| The 2024 BBC documentary featured Mr Byrne's dad, Mike, a builder and former Royal Marine Commando. | The 2024 BBC documentary featured Mr Byrne's dad, Mike, a builder and former Royal Marine Commando. |
| In one emotional scene, he watches his son take off on a training jump and said: "I have buried him 10 times already in my head." | In one emotional scene, he watches his son take off on a training jump and said: "I have buried him 10 times already in my head." |
| But Mike goes on to say he knew the joy wingsuit jumping gave Liam. | But Mike goes on to say he knew the joy wingsuit jumping gave Liam. |
| He added: "He was an amazing kid growing up - anything I suggested he would be up for. | He added: "He was an amazing kid growing up - anything I suggested he would be up for. |
| "I was massively inspired by him. I wish I could be more like him." | "I was massively inspired by him. I wish I could be more like him." |
| The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland and the Cantonal Police of Uri said the fatal wingsuit incident was being investigated. | The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland and the Cantonal Police of Uri said the fatal wingsuit incident was being investigated. |
| A statement said three wingsuit pilots had jumped shortly before noon on Saturday, and the accident happened shortly afterwards. | A statement said three wingsuit pilots had jumped shortly before noon on Saturday, and the accident happened shortly afterwards. |
| The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) confirmed it was supporting the family of a British man who died in Switzerland. | The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) confirmed it was supporting the family of a British man who died in Switzerland. |