Perth man killed BASE jumping – two years after friend’s similar death

A Perth man killed in a suspected parachute malfunction at a BASE jumping competition in northern Italy had been mourning the death of his friend in a similar accident just two years prior.

James Nowland, 42, died after jumping from Sass Pordoi in the Italian Dolomites region, during the Pordoi BASE race.

James Nowland in flight.Credit: Facebook

International outlets said Nowland crashed onto a road about 400 metres below the designated jumping area, around 1pm Wednesday local time.

It is believed his wing suit failed to open properly.

Fellow BASE jumpers notified emergency services, who attempted unsuccessfully to save him.

“Rest in peace … Hope you’re soaring through the clouds doing what you love forever,” his brother, Adrian Nowland, posted to Facebook on Thursday.

Jay Driscoll mid-flight.Credit: Facebook

Nowland was a friend of fellow BASE jumper Jay Driscoll, who died in 2023 in his own accident in northern Italy.

From Perth, Driscoll was 38 years old when he crashed 200 metres below a BASE jump launch point in the Tofane mountain range.

According to Italian media, the recovery of Driscoll took some time due to his position at an altitude of 2470 metres.

The memorial was held in the Dolomites on the one-year anniversary of his death.

The Pordoi BASE race described itself as a “competitive wingsuit race”.

“The worlds top wingsuit athletes, racing against each other to become the fastest in the world, held at Sass Pordoi in the Dolomites, Italy,” the event’s website said.

“Racers will jump from the top of the mountain, fly as fast as they can across the ground to the finish line, and deploy their parachutes to land safely.”

Nowland had previously posted videos to social media of him base jumping in the Dolomites, with the caption “flying is my drug”.

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