A Chilean tourist’s vacation is set to take a turn after he made the impulsive decision to skydive from the 39th floor of his hotel in Rio de Janeiro. The extreme sports enthusiast landed safely on Copacabana Beach, much to the astonishment of beachgoers, but has since been detained and will face legal consequences.
According to local police authorities in Rio, the incident occurred on Tuesday, January 14, at the Hilton Hotel, the tallest building in the city, where the individual was staying with his wife and child. A video that quickly went viral, published by the news portal G1, shows the man, whose identity has not been disclosed, preparing to jump from the terrace while accompanied by a partner who appears to be recording the leap. However, after executing this risky action, he was taken directly to the police station.
At the station, he was summoned to the Special Criminal Court and will be formally charged with the crime of endangering public safety, as stated in a press release issued by the Brazilian Civil Police. The five-star hotel also condemned the guest’s actions, stating, “We have confirmed that one of our guests performed a base jump without authorization from the hotel. The safety of our guests is our top priority, and we have contacted local authorities regarding this matter. Any further inquiries should be directed to DEAT.”
It is important to note that jumping from a building, mountain, or any other fixed point is referred to as “base jumping,” which is considered a dangerous extreme sport. This activity is typically practiced at locations such as Pão de Açúcar and Pedra da Gávea, with the latter being 800 meters high and located near the tourist area of Leblon in Tijuca National Park. In December of the previous year, a 37-year-old Brazilian died while attempting a base jump from this location.
One of the most prominent figures in this discipline is Sebastián “Ardilla” Álvarez, a former Air Force pilot who has left a significant mark on the sport. He has achieved remarkable feats, such as flying through the World Trade Center towers and soaring over Mont Blanc, which is situated above the Valle Aosta in Italy and Chamonix in France, reaching heights of nearly 5,000 meters.
