British champion from BBC documentary dies in daredevil jump | World | News
A wingsuit flyer who featured in a BBC documentary has died during a jump in the Swiss Alps, according to reports. Liam Byrne, 24, died in a fatal crash on the Gitschen mountain in Switzerland, after taking off from 7,874ft (2,400 metres). A spokesperson for the local police force said: “On Saturday June 21, 2025, shortly before 12pm, three wingsuit pilots launched a jump from Gitschen at approximately 2,400 metres above sea level toward Seedorf.
“One of the jumpers, a 24-year-old man from Great Britain, deviated from his intended course shortly after take-off for reasons still unknown and crashed into a rocky outcrop at approximately 2,100 metres above sea level. He suffered fatal injuries.”
The Uri Cantonal Police called for witnesses to come forward and assist the investigation in “clarifying the cause of the accident”.
The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland is conducting the investigation alongside the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Uri, police added.
Mr Byrne featured in a BBC documentary, The Boy Who Can Fly, about his journey to becoming a champion skydiver.
His parents, Mike and Gillian, confirmed to BBC Scotland News that their son had died, and paid tribute to his “wild energy” and “contagious laugh”.
The Byrne family said: “We would like to remember Liam not just for the way he left this world, but for how he lived in it.
“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.”
The BBC documentary screened on November 8 showed Liam and his father, Mike, as Mr Byrne prepared for a wingsuit jump off Mannlichen mountain in Switzerland.
Speaking in the documentary, Mr Byrne, from Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire, said that an office job scared him far more than the fear of dying from a base jump or wingsuit flight.
A spokesperson for the Foreign Office said on Monday: “We are supporting the family of a British man who died in Switzerland, and are in contact with the local authorities.”
