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MOAB — A 55-year-old man died Friday after a BASE jumping accident near Moab.
The man, a Moab resident, was jumping with a wingsuit from a cliff "overlooking Professor Valley near Rocky Rapid," according to a Facebook post from the Grand County Sheriff's Search and Rescue.
Around noon, the man's satellite messaging device sent an SOS signal after it detected an impact. Another BASE jumper also reported the incident using an inReach device, according to the Facebook post. BASE stands for building, antenna, span (such as a bridge) and earth (such as a cliff).
Grand County Emergency Medical Services, the Utah Department of Public Safety and Classic Air Medical assisted in the multi-faceted response.
Using a helicopter, first responders were able to locate the man about 1,000 feet below the cliff and 700 feet from the Rocky Rapid area of the river. After the man was located, two medics were dropped near his location by helicopter and hiked to his location, where they confirmed that the man was dead.
Responders had to call a helicopter to retrieve the body due to the terrain of the area.
The man's identity has not been released.
