Tourists exploring South Africa’s iconic Table Mountain overlooking Cape Town got the shock of their lives when respected daredevil Brendan Weinsten smashed into the ground beside them at 120mph
A professional squirrel suit flier catastrophically died after an illegal cliff jump went horrifically wrong. Brendan Weinsten, 32, dived off South Africa’s Table Mountain and slammed into the rocks 1,000 feet below on Monday morning.
The respected daredevil was travelling at 120mph when he failed to pull up in time and slammed into a popular hiking trail – just five feet away from a traumatised family. Over 50 shocked tourists hiking up a steep ascent to the top of the iconic 1,086m mountain heard the thrill seeker scream before he died.
Weinstein slammed at high speed into the granite path head first at 9am on Monday after diving off the top to film a YouTube video for his 44,000 followers. Hiker Kirsten Enderby said: “My family and I were right at the impact zone when the accident happened and he came shooting down extremely close to us.
“He was so low I could see his face just before everything happened. It was extremely distressing to witness and my mother and law and I were screaming and in complete shock. He hit just a metre and a half from where we were.
“We are incredibly grateful we were not hurt nor all the others nearby. My family and I are still very shaken by what we witnessed but condolences to his family.
Ms Enderby added: “Witnessing this highlighted how dangerous this can be not only for those who choose to take part but for others in the surrounding area below as well.”
USA pilot Weinstein – who leaves behind Brazilian wife Kivia Martins and baby son Eiger – had travelled to Cape Town alone to do the very difficult flight. It is thought the Red Bull star took the cable car to the top hiding his parachute and wing suit from the staff as jumping from Table Mountain is strictly illegal.
He walked for 15 minutes to a spot where wing suit flights have been made in the past and donned his equipment in front of tourists and dived off at 9am. Over 50 hikers including British and American tourists heard yelling from above and saw him impact as Weinstein slammed into rocks fortunately off the trail.
Witness Katrien Smits said: “I was hiking there with my 9-year-old son and we heard him, we felt the wind he made above our heads, flying down at a ridiculous speed. Then we heard the screaming and luckily we did not see the crash but someone thought he hit a group of hikers. It has been so traumatising for my son and I.
“I respect everyone’s hobbies and choice to risk but this should be prohibited above any hiking trail as you cannot choose to risk other people’s lives”, she said.
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