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BASE jumpers Dean Potter, 46, and Graham Hunt, 29, killed in wingsuit flight from Yosemite National Park's Taft Point

Modified Date: 
Tue, 08/04/2015 - 9:50am
Accident Date: 
Saturday, May 16, 2015

Yosemite still BASE jumpers' deaths ruled as accidents(link is external)

That final flight was recorded via an iPhone strapped to Potter'€™s head, but the video abruptly stopped 22 seconds into the leap. In the final report, investigators reported a slew of possible slip ups that could have led to the expert diver'€™s death. Potter, 43, and Graham Hunt, 29, were found dead in California'€™s Yosemite National Park in May, a day after they went missing during a wingsuit flight BASE jump from Taft Point. The BASE-jumping deaths of daredevil Dean Potter and his climbing partner were ruled as accidents, but investigators still don'€™t know exactly what went wrong during the thrill-seeking duo'€™s fatal flight. Potter and Graham made their final flight around 7:45 p.m. on May 16.

2 BASE Jumpers Die On Wingsuit Flight In Yosemite(link is external)

Since the early 1980s, 256 people have died while taking part in the sport, according to Blinc magazine.

Dean Potter: BASE Jumper Who Died In Yosemite Remembered In Sacramento(link is external)

“Dean is like a larger than life figure,” said Alex Honnold. “He’s been a hero of the climbing community for 20 years.” 

Extreme athlete Dean Potter dies in BASE jumping accident(link is external)

Potter is famous for pushing the boundaries of climbing by going up some of the world's most daunting big walls and cliffs alone, using his bare hands and without ropes.

Wingsuit fliers in Yosemite knew they were cheating death(link is external)

"For them, BASE jumping was like their art, their passion," and they faced a much more powerful repercussion in any case, he said: "The potential down side of base jumping is dying." 

Extreme Climber Dean Potter Among 2 Killed In Yosemite BASE Jumping Accident(link is external)

In 2009, he set a record for completing the longest BASE jump from the Eiger North Face in Switzerland by staying in flight in a wingsuit for 2 minutes and 50 seconds. The feat earned him the Adventurer of the Year title by National Geographic magazine.
Dean Potter, 46, and Graham Hunt, 29, died during a wingsuit flight from Yosemite National Park's Taft Point on Saturday as they attempted to glide above Yosemite Valley and El Capitan. The accident happened at dusk on Saturday in Mariposa County. BASE jumping is illegal in all of America's national parks. The two men were discovered Sunday by a search and rescue helicopter.
Type: Other Type of Accident
People Involved: 
Dean Potter
Graham Hunt
Roadway: 
Taft Point
County: 
Mariposa County, CA
Area: 
Fresno-Visalia, CA

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