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AUTHORITIES SAY A 73-year-old Base jumper who died after leaping from an Idaho bridge had set his parachute on fire as part of a stunt.
A graphic video of the fatal jump, posted to YouTube this week, shows the parachute engulfed in flames.
James E. Hickey had apparently planned to ditch the flaming parachute and deploy a second chute in the May 7 stunt.
Professional Base jumper Sean Chuma told Twin Falls newspaper The Times-News that he had heard Hickey successfully performed the stunt skydiving.
The initial report from the Twin Falls County Sheriff’s Office said only that Hickey’s parachute deployed too late.
The video shows two Base jumpers climbing over the railing of the Perrine Bridge and leaping at about the same time.
But while one jumper glides safely away underneath a parachute, the other becomes engulfed in a fireball and falls quickly out of view.
The video pans back to the river just after the burning jumper hits the water. A boat arrives seconds later, and the video ends.
A coroner’s report said Hickey, of Claremont, California, died of blunt force trauma.
BASE jumping has come under increased scrutiny as at least five people have died in accidents since January, including two last week at Yosemite National Park.
The acronym “Base” stands for building, antenna, span and earth, the types of places from which jumpers leap.
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ol Francis was up to her eyes in this….but she couldn’t “jettison” her pal Noreen o sullivan…the whole Mc cabe scandal still has a LOT of questions to be answered
@Frank Dubogovik: so far, nearly all questions and very few real answers.
@Frank Dubogovik: I hope I’m wrong,but being a suspicious kind of fella,I could see Sgt McCabe getting a huge pay off from the state to vanish(for the integrity/stability of the State).Thus saving Kenny,Franny Fitz,Noreen and the rest of them from justice.
@Billy McNamara: I think that the problem is that he can’t be bribed into silence; likely this would be attempted if it was reasonably sure not to blow up in the face of the Government.
@Fiona deFreyne: As I said,after quite a few years on this earth I’m a dubious person,especially of Irish Politicans AND Bankers.But I hope that Sgt McCabe (after all he has been put through) will see this sorry saga to the bitter end.
@Billy McNamara:
McCabe is innocent and has no reason to accept “a bribe”.
He will go down in Irish history as the honest man who broke the circle of Irish political corruption.
What are they hiding from ? The truth – in the same way they hide from facts – hospitals in crisis / homelessness at record high numbers etc. All we get from Fianna Gael is lies – spin – bluster and pay 5 mill per year to a team of muppets to post pictures of Leo in his socks eating chicken nuggets or emptying the dishwasher. What this government did to Mr McCabe tells you everything you need to know about the low life’s that currently operate in the Dail – dangerous, untrustworthy free loaders without a shred of decency between them.
@Setrakian:
Political Corruption = “The habit of Denial and Cover-up”.
Fitz and Regina Doherty give FG women a bad name, and I speak for my wife and daughter who are in disgust.
When you don’t get a straight answer, draw your own conclusions. If they knew nothing Mr Kelly would have been told . Can we not have straight politicians without the spin , ducking and diving.
Just do it, but don’t tell us about it.
Who will rid us of this turbulent Garda Sergeant?
A Garda of true integrity could be dangerous. Who knows what might emerge, points, breath tests, set up, perverting the course of justice, fitting up political opponents, targeting left wing TDs etc.
@Fiona deFreyne: Left Wing TD’s still under Garda surveillance. We should at the very least aspire to an autonomous police force.
Handy enough, setup an auld commission, then hide behind it. Not me guv, sure it was like that when I found it. Who, ME, must be some other fella, sure I only got this auld job because I did a bit of covering up for our former dear leader, Herr Enda.
Why are we still looking into this?
After all, everything is perfect in Leo Land. Everyone is employed and earning bundles, in fact enough to buy a €350k house with cash. Lets not spoil the party you big bunch of downers. Leo Land is a happy place.
“Certainly I have never had the slightest interest personally in attacking Maurice McCabe’s character”
Says Francis neatly side stepping the question if her THEN department had any involvement…….
Well leo as head of the government……
What are they hiding from?
Surely everyone deserves an answer
@LITTLEONE: Here we go again, the last fella ran rings around us, and here is the new fella doing exactly the same thing and not even a furlong into the job yet. Me heart is broken with despair.
LETS all be honest ,do we expect the truth to come out ,in all probability no we dont ,this government like previous governments continue to protect the system at all costs .they dont want to see how rotten it is ,a bit like the church and the child abuse ,truth is not for the masses but for a select few in order to protect the false integrity of the state .none of them have the bottle their just well paid yes men .
Another rise in the opinion polls beckons so.
@Dick Durkin: when and where were these polls taken?Iwas never asked nor do iknow of anyone who was asked My friends were never asked nor do they know of anyone who was asked Not a true reflection of Louth Donegal Dublin Kildare or Galway.
The report when published will be deemed not in the public interest, and buried.
Mark my words, this scandal is going to bring down the govt, Noirin will implicate Frances, she has nothing to lose.DOJ in this up to their necks.
We have been told repeatedly by feminists that women would bring a greater degree of integrity and honesty to Irish political life than their male colleagues.Well what do you think?
We can’t handle the truth.
@Fiona deFreyne: We now need it,once and for all.And then to move to a better place.
More deflection and “plausible deniability” from the criminals running this country, or ruining the country.
I think the latter is more fitting….
If I was accused of breaking the law I would instantly deny it, not wait for a tribunal.
Do these lot go out in the night time and dig up the roads so as people in their area will complain about potholes, and hay presto, they are fixed in no length of time, and the easily led will again vote for the good Samaritan that made their journey just that little bit smoother. Now the one about the three bears.
“Their issues dealt with” … oh how condescending. Whistleblowers don’t have ‘issues’, the people they expose do! Flanagan is what I always knew he was … another Frances Fitzgerald. He’s got the ‘mustn’t interfere with an ongoing process’ waffle to a tee.
@Anthony Halpin: Let me ask the question again, WHO votes for this lot.?
Who cares about any of this crap anymore. Pay McCabe and move on. We’re sick of listening to this self righteous crap.
Policing is a tough game. We’ve all got responsibilities regarding policing this country. We shouldn’t dwell too much on whingers who feel hard done by. These people need to get over themselves. Attention seekers. Political point scorers, etc.
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