Photo Gallery Dying For a Rush
The Swiss village of Lauterbrunnen is a magnet for thrill seekers looking to take part in the dangerous extreme sport of BASE jumping. In high season, they can be seen plummeting down through the air every minute or so. But a series of deaths has outraged locals.
BASE jumpers soar through the air near Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland this summer. The village is a mecca for BASE jumpers. Enormous rock walls soar vertically at heights of up to 1,100 meters. Extreme sports fans come from around the world to enjoy the ultimate high, and there have been around 15,000 jumps in Lauterbrunnen last year.
Foto: © Michael Buholzer / Reuters/ REUTERS
In the past 12 months, six BASE jumpers have fallen to their deaths in Lauterbrunnen. But the local authorities do not want to ban the sport -- the region is one of the few in Switzerland which does a better tourist trade in summer than in winter, thanks in part to the BASE jumpers.
Foto: © Pascal Lauener / Reuters/ REUTERS
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