British wingsuit flying champion Liam Byrne dies ages 24 during Swiss Alps base jump
A 24-year-old British wingsuit flyer was killed on Saturday during a base jump in the Swiss Alps, local police said in a statement.
The man was later named as Liam Byrne by his parents, who released a statement to the BBC, paying tribute to their son's 'bold spirit and kind heart'.
Byrne was experienced in wingsuit flying, a strand of skydiving that involves wearing a specially designed suit to maximise gliding time before deploying a parachute.
He became a British champion in the sport in 2022, recording the fastest speed in the advanced category.
More recently, he was the subject of a BBC documentary 'The Boy Who Can Fly', which traced his dreams of flying like a bird and his careful preparations to do so.
But his family always lived with the fear of losing him.
'I have buried him 10 times already in my head,' his dad Mike said in the documentary.
On Saturday, Byrne and two other wingsuit flyers launched a jump from the Gitschen mountain in central Switzerland at approximately 2400m above sea level, but he deviated from his intended course for unknown reasons.
He crashed into a rocky outcrop at approximately 2100m above sea level and suffered fatal injuries, Swiss police added in the statement.
'We would like to remember Liam not just for the way he left this world, but for how he lived in it,' his family said in its statement.
'Liam was fearless, not necessarily because he wasn't afraid but because he refused to let fear hold him back.
'He chased life in a way that most of us only dream of and he soared.
'Skydiving and base jumping was more than just a thrill for Liam — it was freedom. It was where he felt most alive.
'Liam was more than just an adventurer. He was a son, brother, grandson, cousin and friend. He was a source of laughter and strength.
'He inspired all of us and made life better with his bold spirit and kind heart.
'We will miss Liam's wild energy and contagious laugh. Though he has now flown beyond our reach, he will always be with us.'
Growing up in Stonehaven, a small town on Scotland's northeast coast, Byrne was always drawn to adventure and extreme sports.
He had climbed Mount Kilimanjaro by the age of 12, covered 500km with his own team of huskies through Norway, Sweden and Finland by 14 and qualified as a skydiving instructor by 19.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
7NEWS
2 hours ago
- 7NEWS
Glastonbury festival BBC livestream: Outrage as ‘death to IDF' chant airs, Bob Vylan, Kneecap investigated
British authorities have issued a strong condemnation after rap punk duo Bob Vylan led the crowd in chants at the Glastonbury Festival calling for 'free, free Palestine' and 'death, death to the IDF' during a set broadcast live by the BBC. The performance, which took place on the West Holts Stage just ahead of Belfast rap trio Kneecap, prompted the government to describe the comments as unacceptable. A BBC spokesperson stated that some of the remarks were 'deeply offensive,' with a warning about 'very strong and discriminatory language' displayed on screen. The broadcaster confirmed the set would not be available for replay on BBC iPlayer. Police have announced they are reviewing video footage of both Bob Vylan's and Kneecap's performances to determine if any laws were broken. A statement from Glastonbury Festival said it 'does not condone hate speech or incitement to violence of any kind from its performers.' Following the incident, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy contacted the BBC director general to request an urgent explanation regarding the broadcaster's due diligence before airing the act. The government also expressed approval of the decision not to re-broadcast the performance. Loading Instagram Post Kneecap, who performed after Bob Vylan, have been in the spotlight recently after band member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh (Mo Chara) was charged with a terrorism offence for allegedly displaying the flag of banned group Hezbollah at a previous concert—a charge he denies. Kneecap's Saturday set, watched by thousands, included expletive-laden chants directed at UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who had previously described their festival appearance as 'not appropriate.' Ó hAnnaidh is currently on bail following a recent court hearing. Avon and Somerset Police confirmed they are assessing video evidence from both acts to decide whether a criminal investigation is warranted. 'Glastonbury, I'm a free man,' Mo Chara said after appearing on stage. 'The prime minister of your country - not mine - said he didn't want us to play, so f*** Keir Starmer,' Mo Chara told the crowd, wearing the keffiyeh scarf associated with Palestinians. At least 30,000 people, hundreds of them with Palestinian flags, crammed into the West Holts stage in blazing sunshine to watch the trio, causing organisers to close the area. After opening their set with Better Way to Live, which mixes English and Irish, another of the group's members - M?gla? Bap, otherwise known as Naoise ? Caireall?in - said Mo Chara would be back in court for a 'trumped up terrorism charge'. Mo Chara told the crowd the situation over the lawsuit was stressful but it was minimal compared to what the Palestinians were going through every day. Later in the set, Mo Chara accused Israel of committing war crimes, saying, 'There's no hiding it.' Irwin Kelly, 40, said the trio got the crowd really involved in the set. 'Obviously it had a bit of controversy surrounding it,' he said. 'But it's art, it's performance.' The Israeli embassy in the United Kingdom earlier said it was 'deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival'. It did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Kneecap's statements. Access to the area around the West Holts Stage was closed about 45 minutes before Kneecap's performance after groups of fans arrived to form a sea of Irish and Palestinian flags. Starmer told the Sun newspaper this month it was 'not appropriate' for Kneecap to appear at the famed music festival in the southwest of England. Opposition leader Kemi Badenoch had said the public broadcaster BBC, which livestreams the festival, should not show Kneecap, and 30 music industry bosses asked organisers to pull the band from the line-up, according to a letter leaked by DJ Toddla T, cited by the Guardian newspaper. In response, more than 100 musicians have signed a public letter in support of the group. The BBC said on Saturday Kneecap's set would not be live-streamed but said the performance is likely to be made available on-demand later. Kneecap manager Dan Lambert told Reuters the group had expected calls for the performance to be cancelled. During the hour-long set, Kneecap thanked organisers Michael and Emily Eavis for not bowing to the pressure. Kneecap, whose third member has the stage name DJ Pr?va?, has said they do not support Hamas or Hezbollah. Mo Chara said on Friday the group were 'playing characters' on stage, and it was up to the audience to interpret their messages. The performance followed months of debate over the band's inclusion, after frontman Liam O'Hanna (stage name Mo Chara) was charged with a terrorism offence for allegedly displaying a Hezbollah flag and making supportive remarks about Hamas and Hezbollah at a London concert last year. Both groups are banned in the UK, and expressing support for them is an offence. O'Hanna, who appeared in court earlier this month, has denied the charge and described his legal troubles as minimal compared to the suffering of Palestinians. On stage, O'Hanna wore his trademark keffiyeh and gave a 'shout out' to the Palestine Action Group, which has also recently been banned under anti-terror laws. Fellow band member DJ Provai wore a t-shirt dedicated to the campaign group. Kneecap's set was just one highlight of a festival that also saw surprise performances from Britpop legends Pulp and Scottish singer Lewis Capaldi, as well as headline acts including Neil Young and Olivia Rodrigo.
The Advertiser
4 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Donor 'offered access to Prince William for cash'
A royal donor who tried to sell access to Prince William for more than $A40,000 has been cut loose, according to reports. Minerva Mondejar Steiner, a Filipina-Swiss millionaire, offered private meetings with William at the upcoming Royal Charity Polo Cup match in exchange for STG20,000 ($A41,000), the Sunday Times reported. Her art gallery - the Mondejar Gallery - was an official sponsor of the annual charitable polo event, which is taking place in Windsor in July. Kensington Palace declined to comment. It is understood the palace was unaware of what is being viewed as a rogue sponsor until alerted by the newspaper, and action was taken immediately. The organisers of the event were not aware it was being used by the Mondejar Foundation to raise money, it is believed. The Mondejar Foundation has been approached for comment. The Royal Charity Polo Cup match is an exclusive event where charity donors can watch the prince play polo. Among the guests at the 2024 match was TV presenter and interior designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen and wife Jackie, who were seen taking a courtesy golf buggy around the site. The event raised more than a STG1 million ($A2.1 million) for causes that William and wife Kate are passionate about, including Wales Air Ambulance, Child Bereavement UK, Place2Be, Action for Children and The Royal Marsden. A royal donor who tried to sell access to Prince William for more than $A40,000 has been cut loose, according to reports. Minerva Mondejar Steiner, a Filipina-Swiss millionaire, offered private meetings with William at the upcoming Royal Charity Polo Cup match in exchange for STG20,000 ($A41,000), the Sunday Times reported. Her art gallery - the Mondejar Gallery - was an official sponsor of the annual charitable polo event, which is taking place in Windsor in July. Kensington Palace declined to comment. It is understood the palace was unaware of what is being viewed as a rogue sponsor until alerted by the newspaper, and action was taken immediately. The organisers of the event were not aware it was being used by the Mondejar Foundation to raise money, it is believed. The Mondejar Foundation has been approached for comment. The Royal Charity Polo Cup match is an exclusive event where charity donors can watch the prince play polo. Among the guests at the 2024 match was TV presenter and interior designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen and wife Jackie, who were seen taking a courtesy golf buggy around the site. The event raised more than a STG1 million ($A2.1 million) for causes that William and wife Kate are passionate about, including Wales Air Ambulance, Child Bereavement UK, Place2Be, Action for Children and The Royal Marsden. A royal donor who tried to sell access to Prince William for more than $A40,000 has been cut loose, according to reports. Minerva Mondejar Steiner, a Filipina-Swiss millionaire, offered private meetings with William at the upcoming Royal Charity Polo Cup match in exchange for STG20,000 ($A41,000), the Sunday Times reported. Her art gallery - the Mondejar Gallery - was an official sponsor of the annual charitable polo event, which is taking place in Windsor in July. Kensington Palace declined to comment. It is understood the palace was unaware of what is being viewed as a rogue sponsor until alerted by the newspaper, and action was taken immediately. The organisers of the event were not aware it was being used by the Mondejar Foundation to raise money, it is believed. The Mondejar Foundation has been approached for comment. The Royal Charity Polo Cup match is an exclusive event where charity donors can watch the prince play polo. Among the guests at the 2024 match was TV presenter and interior designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen and wife Jackie, who were seen taking a courtesy golf buggy around the site. The event raised more than a STG1 million ($A2.1 million) for causes that William and wife Kate are passionate about, including Wales Air Ambulance, Child Bereavement UK, Place2Be, Action for Children and The Royal Marsden. A royal donor who tried to sell access to Prince William for more than $A40,000 has been cut loose, according to reports. Minerva Mondejar Steiner, a Filipina-Swiss millionaire, offered private meetings with William at the upcoming Royal Charity Polo Cup match in exchange for STG20,000 ($A41,000), the Sunday Times reported. Her art gallery - the Mondejar Gallery - was an official sponsor of the annual charitable polo event, which is taking place in Windsor in July. Kensington Palace declined to comment. It is understood the palace was unaware of what is being viewed as a rogue sponsor until alerted by the newspaper, and action was taken immediately. The organisers of the event were not aware it was being used by the Mondejar Foundation to raise money, it is believed. The Mondejar Foundation has been approached for comment. The Royal Charity Polo Cup match is an exclusive event where charity donors can watch the prince play polo. Among the guests at the 2024 match was TV presenter and interior designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen and wife Jackie, who were seen taking a courtesy golf buggy around the site. The event raised more than a STG1 million ($A2.1 million) for causes that William and wife Kate are passionate about, including Wales Air Ambulance, Child Bereavement UK, Place2Be, Action for Children and The Royal Marsden.
Courier-Mail
4 hours ago
- Courier-Mail
Police probe UK bands for ‘hate speech' during Glastonbury set
Don't miss out on the headlines from Music Festivals. Followed categories will be added to My News. Police have put UK bands Bob Vylan and Kneecap on notice following their controversial performances at the Glastonbury festival on Saturday. Avon and Somerset Police are examining video footage from the famed music festival to determine if criminal offences were committed when bands Bob Vylan and Kneecap took to the stage. The investigation was sparked after British punk duo Bob Vylan led festival-goers in chanting 'free, free Palestine' and 'death, death to the IDF' – referencing the Israel Defense Forces – to the packed-out crowd, many of whom were waving Palestinian flags. Bobby Vylan of Bob Vylan performs on stage during Glastonbury festival. Picture:The singer crowd-surfs while chanting 'free, free Palestine' and 'death, death to the IDF'. Picture:Irish rap trio Kneecap took to the West Holts Stage after Bob Vylan and followed suit, encouraging concertgoers to chant 'free Palestine' during their set. While onstage, band member Naoise O Caireallain, who performs as Moglai Bap, also slammed UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer as their fans waved banners and wore face paint to support the band. 'The Prime Minister of your country, not mine, said he didn't want us to play, so f**k Keir Starmer,' he told the crowd. Provaí of Kneecap makes a statement during day four at Glastonbury. Picture:The performance came just one after before JJ O Dochartaigh, aka DJ Próvaí, was seen wearing an anti-Israel campaign group 'Palestine Action' T-shirt in a social media post. The stage incidents have since prompted police to review video evidence from both performances to assess whether to proceed with criminal investigations. Dochartaigh also wore a 'We Are All Palestine Action' T-shirt ahead of the band's performance. Picture: X 'We are aware of the comments made by acts on the West Holts Stage at Glastonbury Festival this afternoon,' Avon and Somerset Police tweeted on X. 'Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation.' The performances have also drawn criticism from the UK government, with a spokesperson saying in a statement, 'We strongly condemn the threatening comments made by Bob Vylan at Glastonbury.' Mo Chara and Móglaí Bap of Kneecap during their Glastonbury set. Picture:Social media has also exploded with outrage over the bands' controversial appearances, with US rapper Azealia Banks among the voices condemning the performances. 'That is actually crazy. To allow an artist to incite a mob and shout death upon anyone at a major music festival is CRAZZZZYYYY,' she tweeted on X. 'And like how does he think that's going to accomplish anything? Wooooow the UK is losing its mind.' 'There's nothing worse than artists who lose their sense of subjectivity. The art of 'doing everything to express what I feel' should be a matter for therapy, not for performance,' another echoed. 'Way to turn a music festival into hate festival. So sad and crazy,' another commented. While some X users argued that the bands were simply exercising their 'freedom of speech', their comments were mostly drowned out. 'This is NOT free speech. This IS HATE SPEECH! Absolutely disgusting that this allowed,' one tweeted, with another noting, 'I remember when music festivals were about coming together around music and unity with fellow humans. I guess this one is a Nazi death rally … glad I'm too old for this.' Originally published as Police probe UK bands for 'hate speech' during Glastonbury set
