Two base jumpers feared dead after jumping off bridge over Pacific Ocean
Both the woman who first jumped then the man who went to rescue her may have drowned
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Two base jumpers are feared dead after jumping off a bridge over the Pacific ocean as one man tried to rescue his female companion, officials say.
Mary Katherine “Katie” Connell, from Ventura, California, first jumped off the 260-foot high Bixby Creek Bridge with one parachute and landed in the water below.
Footage not released by police shows that high waves overcame her shortly after landing, as reported by Monterey Herald.
The footage also shows her companion from Finland, who has not yet been named, jumping off the same bridge on about 7.30am Wednesday morning to rescue her. Both are now feared dead.
Police discovered an abandoned rental car near the scene on Saturday afternoon. They identified Ms Connell through documents left in the car.
Police also found a helmet and attached camera partially buried on the beach.
In a news conference on Monday Monterey County Sheriff Steve Bernal told reporters that the footage shows Ms Connell landing safely in the creek that leads to the ocean, but large waves “overwhelmed” her.
“As the water retreats back into the ocean, Connell and the parachute are not seen retreating back to shore,” Mr Bernal said.
Divers are searching the scene and officials are also searching the land by aeroplane.
The documents in the car revealed that the Finnish man was an experienced base jumper with more than 300 jumps. He was a base jumping instructor, according to KSBW.
"Base" jump stands for “building, antenna, span, earth”, referring to four objects from which thrill-seekers use to jump off.
Jackie Faust, general manager of Skydive Monterey Bay, said base jumping can be more dangerous and less regulated than skydiving.
“(Base jumpers) don’t have two parachutes, they have one, and it’s completely different equipment,” she told Monterey Herald.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments