New Heart-Pounding Video Shows Wingsuit Athlete’s Mountainside Crash…From His Perspective
- Posted on February 23, 2012 at 8:33am by
Liz Klimas
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Last month, we brought you the shocking footage of wingsuit athlete Jeb Corliss crashing into the side of a mountain while filming for an HBO documentary show.
Now, new footage showing Corliss’ helmet point-of-view has been released — and it’s just as jaw-dropping. Check it out (Note: The clip shows Corliss hitting the mountain from the perspective of several cameras mounted on his helmet at various angles):
[Content warning for some cursing in the accompanying song lyrics]
The Daily Mail reports that Corliss was traveling at 120 mph when he hit Table Mountain in South Africa. Although he was seriously injured — he broke both legs and could have very well died — he still managed to deploy his parachute to land as safely on the ground as possible. He was then airlifted to the hospital.
One angle of Corliss right before he hit the mountain.
Corliss flipping after he hit.
Corliss deploying his parachute.
Corliss has spent five weeks in the hospital since the mid-January accident, requiring surgery on both his legs. The Daily Mail has more on Corliss’ condition:
Michelle Norris, spokeswoman for the Christiaan Barnaard Hospital in Cape Town, today said he remained there under observation and was due to be discharged on Friday.
She said: “Mr Corliss needed extensive surgery on his legs and also needed skin grafts to repair the damage. He suffered serious injuries and remains in the hospital, although he has been making good progress in recovery.
“One of the reasons he is still with us is that we needed to check how the wounds would heal from the skin grafts, but we hope to be able to discharge him on Friday. After that he plans to return home immediately to America to be with his family.”
At the end of this most recently released footage, Corliss sends a special thanks to hikers who provided him with water afterward, the rescue team that brought him to the hospital and the medical staff that stitched him back up.
[H/T Gizmodo]
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Comments (132)
qpwillie
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 10:59amFor anybody who hasn’t figured it out, jumping off a cliff can be hazardous.
Report Post »jb.kibs
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 12:47pmsucks, he has done some sweet videos.
Report Post »hope you recover quickly Jeb.
Protoham
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 1:31pmOuch!
Report Post »CockroachesOutofCongress
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 2:28pmCorliss has a death wish. He almost made it this time. Taking bets that next time, he succeeds. Everyone who says “Oh he’s lucky,” doesn’t understand that he WANTS to go out like this. Watch some of his other videos on YouTube, the interviews, and you will see the anger/pain he carries.
Report Post »Predator352
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 3:48pmOh no, people can be hurt doing this? We better regulate this to make sure no one can ever be hurt from this again… OR… let people be allowed to take risks and their lives into their own hands. I’ve looked into this a lot myself after falling in love with flight. The requirements for getting a wingsuit (In the US as per the USPA), requires a lot of time learning how to jump properly. In essence, this stuff isn’t for someone who just falls in love with it. There is a lot of training involved and when you push the envelope, mistakes happen. I don’t doubt Jeb has lots of jumps under his belt, but accidents happen and pros make mistakes. Some people are adrenaline junkies, though I don’t think anyone wants their body to release the amounts of adrenaline it does after an injury like that >.<
Report Post »Spirit 72
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 4:36pmKind of like “flat-hatting” in a jet, no points for 1st place. (hitting the ground)
Report Post »All the points go to 2nd place…(as low as you can go without hitting)
Kind of like he “almost” lived…what’s the point?
davidstep
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 8:01pmHey, we know it is dangerous. So is jumping out of an airplane, wrestling crocodiles, and driving. It is all about pushing the envelope. Hope he gets back to doing it.
Report Post »teamarcheson
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 8:21pmWhen He Gets Out Of The Hospital I Hope He Goes Back Up And Tries It Again.
Next time he will make it. He survived for a reason.
Report Post »VicksVaporub
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 8:24pmwhat a moron
Report Post »its_time_to_arrest_our_government
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 8:52pmdumb a$$!
Report Post »The-Monk
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 11:45pmHe injuried himself in South Africa and was airlifted to a hospital. Who is his insurance provider? Does he even have insuranse or is he acting like a cross between a flying squrille and OWS.
I’ll do whatever I want and you guys will pay the Doctors bill. Just wondering?
Report Post »MYHEROISRON
Posted on February 24, 2012 at 7:26pmInsurance? Yeah right! By doing stupid crap like this says ‘null and void!’ Pay yer own medical bills, you suicidal freak!
Report Post »Gumbercules
Posted on February 25, 2012 at 6:33am@qpwillie
For anybody who hasn’t figured it out, jumping off a cliff can be hazardous.
__________________________________
I guess the Gov. needs to put up signs at the edge of every cliff stating this. . .
Report Post »One Man Progressive Wrecking Crew
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 12:41pm“qpwillie” “Watch some of his other videos on YouTube, the interviews, and you will see the anger/pain he carries.” /
Yea you can hear it pretty clearly a few times in the background music… ;(
Report Post »piper60
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 10:55amyou place your bets, you take your chances. He knew that there was a chance of crashing when he did this. Went into it with his eyes wide open.
Report Post »LauraPZ
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 12:01pmMy hat’s off to that crazy SOB !! From the first time I saw a “sailing suit”, I thought it was something I’d love to try. But- not after talking with someone who does it. I’m simply not strong enough. :(
Report Post »Oh well- he did an amazing job, of keeping his cool, and saving his rear, when things went wrong! (That, is said as a Private Pilot).
D-Fence
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 12:14pmHe got lucky. I wonder what his rescue and hospitalization has cost him other than his health. Nice of him to have the country of South Africa foot the bill. No pun intended.
Report Post »v15
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 4:10pm“There are only two things in this world that will prevent me from BASE jumping: Quadriplegia or death.” – Jeb Corliss 2008
Report Post »Larryjr
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 10:45amAmazing. I have added interest as I used to skydive and have a few base jumps. It appears he simply misjudged and came in too close to the rocks. Everyone makes mistakes in life but in his profession you generally only get one. He is soooo incredibly fortunate that he didn’t impact more than his legs and that he was able to get his parachute open before landing.
Report Post »Jobeycool
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 10:32amThat dude is a dare devil at wing suit proximinty flying..Amazing but crazy at the same time.
Report Post »Jobeycool
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 10:29amThat dude is a dare devil with that wing suit proximinty flying.Amazing but crazy at the same time.
Report Post »wewantchillywilly
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 10:21amthis isn’t flying. it’s falling, with style.
-Buzz Light Year
Report Post »countryfirst
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 10:06amI would like to know if he pays his own health premiums if any. And if so I bet he cannot wait for Obama care to kick in. So we can all help with his cluelessness
Report Post »The Woot
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 10:04amNext splat, windshield of 737 on approach.
Report Post »deano24
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 7:57pmlol
Report Post »supressorgrid
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 9:56amGo fill the impact site with concrete, the cast would make a nice statue. ccall it “monument to stupididty”
Report Post »RichardDBeck
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 9:38amIt’s amazing how God designed the human body. As somebody who has sustained serious compound leg fractures the debilitating pain doesn’t set in for about a 40 seconds. That is what give this man the ability to pull his shoot.
Report Post »Thevoice
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 9:34amYea..Lets be a you tube hit…What’s this dumba$$es… next Trick …
Report Post »texchris
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 10:13amThe guy has his own HBO special so I hardly think it was some kid trying to get utube hits.
Report Post »Ed_Kel
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 9:24amIf God wanted man to fly, he would have given him wings.
Report Post »Rodster
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 9:58amHe did it’s called a wing suit, love the video and glad he’s OK. :)
Report Post »Ed_Kel
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 11:02am@Rodster. You obviously aren’t smart enough to understand my comment so next time, to avoid looking like a complete idiot, don’t reply.
Report Post »Beerbear
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 11:50amGod? Laughable.
Hey, I’m sure people said the same crap over Otto Lilienthal when he crashed (and died.) But guess what, it’s people like Lilienthal and Jeb, among many others, who made it possible for mankind to fly. The wingsuit is just the next step.
Report Post »SONOFNANYE-HI
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 12:26pmThat’s like saying if man was meant to drive he would have a Holley 4 barrel for a mouth and headers with glass packs for an arse.
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 12:41pmIf God didn’t want man to fly, He wouldn’t have given him the mental capability to design and build aircraft. However, He also gave him enough mental capacity to think up stupid ways to risk you life.
Report Post »FreedomPurveyor
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 12:48pm“@Rodster. You obviously aren’t smart enough to understand my comment so next time, to avoid looking like a complete idiot, don’t reply.”
Did God not give man the creativity to invent things which enable him to fly? Your implication is that God doesn’t want man to do anything that he can only do through the use of technology… which includes instant global communication via the internet.
By that logic, if God wanted man to wear leather, he would have given him skinning knives for hands and tannin for urine.
Report Post »HK
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 2:07pmGod did give us the ability to fly. By giving us the ability to learn how!
Report Post »THXll38
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 9:23amMess with the bull, you will get the horns. Although that is freaking awesome, it is also crazy.
Report Post »SgtB
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 9:38amThey had a program on last night where a skier was complaining that he has had to go to 4 of his friends funerals in the last year because they were pushing the limits. Long story short, he blamed corporate sponsorship and YouTube for their deaths and sounded like an occupy whiner.
People who do extreme sports like this know the risk they are taking. Hell, we‘ve all seen the normal skydiving accidents when chutes get tangled and what happens when someone doesn’t clear a jump. But these guys are in the same mindset as Evil Knieevil, they accept the risk and they are trying to gain a living showing others what they would otherwise do just for sport. Personally, I wouldn’t wingsuit close to anything solid, but I would wingsuit out of a plane and maybe one day I’ll get the chance.
I just know that he is going to make more than enough to cover his hospital bills from the sale of this footage and the advertising dollars raked in by YouTube when it hits 20 million + views.
Report Post »Beerbear
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 11:51amPeople called Otto Lilienthal crazy as well. The Wright brothers, too. The history of flight is full of people who were called crazy by their mundane compatriots. But without these crazy guys, we’d still be taking ships across the globe.
Report Post »felix
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 9:22amidiot !!!
Report Post »scrapadapolis
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 9:09amGees if you wanted to be a flying squirrel why the parachute.Rockey didn’t have one..
Report Post »Zipit
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 9:27amWanna see me pull a rabit out of my hat?
Report Post »skippy6
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 9:08amAhhhhhhhhh……… No you weren’t made to fly…..
Report Post »GoldenRudy
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 9:03amToo bad it was not the lousy band and what it claims to be “music” did not go off the cliff instead. Sheesh! What ear pollution!
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 8:53am.
Report Post »Good thing that suit was black……..
brntout
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 8:53amWith great risks comes great rewards?Not so much in this case.He was lucky the ‘chute even deployed as it appeared he struck the pack on impact.Although it was horrible that it happened,I hope it taught him that gravity vs stupidity, it almost won.
Report Post »brntout
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 9:04amOops , after rewatching his main was on his back.
Report Post »johnsell
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 8:52amUnfortunately, it was only a matter of time…….
Report Post »Gary_K
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 8:52amI hope the rush was worth the pain.
Report Post »WAR PIGS CRAWLING
Posted on February 24, 2012 at 9:50amIf not the rush…..for sure the oxycontin.
Report Post »Nicealltype
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 8:50amAll I got to say is “WHAT A MORON” lol
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 8:44amThat gives me the willies just watching the video.
Report Post »Mudslinger
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 8:43amHoly Crap. That was bound to happen though he cuts it so close.
Report Post »Picard
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 8:41amIronic that the music playing with the top video has the lyrics ‘I was made to fly’…..
Report Post »OUTRIDER WRITER
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 8:51am@PICARD
Report Post »…
Yeah, what a coincidence…..