American BASE Jumper Plunges to his Death in Turkey
ERZINCAN, Turkey, July 22 (UPI) — A 37-year-old BASE jumper from southern California fell to his death Tuesday after an equipment malfunction during an extreme sports event in Turkey.
Ian Flanders, known as Batman, died after a parachute cord wrapped around his leg as he dove off a mountain cliff and lost control.
Flanders was taking part in Turkey’s first Wingsuit Exit event on the second day of the International Nature Sports Festival. For the event, jumpers were to leap from the Karanlik Canyon, also known as the Dark Canyon, into the Karasu River, a tributary of the Euphrates. Jumpers reach speeds of about 125 mph before opening their parachutes. Flanders’ first jump of the event was successful.
The jump was televised on a local TV station.
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