Tragedy struck over the French Alps as world champion skydiver Pierre Wolnik was killed while attempting a wingsuit jump close to Mont Blanc.
Wolnik is understood to have undertaken a jump from a helicopter above Mont Blanc on the 7th of February, as had been reported by French news outlets L’Équipe and TF1. Pierre’s dive into the Haute-Savoie region, during which the skydiver was wearing a wingsuit, turned fatal when his parachute failed to deploy at the critical moment.
The resulting freefall meant that Wolnik, a wingsuit world champion in both 2022 and 2024, crashed into the ground close to the ski resort of Chamonix, landing in the neighbourhood of Les Bossons. Emergency services were quick to reach the fallen skydiver but were tragically unable to save him. Wolnik’s body was subsequently airlifted away by helicopter, while the investigations into exactly what happened were set in motion.
Pierre Wolnik is the Second High-Profile Skydiver to Pass Away This Year
It has been a tragic start to 2026 for the sport as vastly experienced diver Brendan Weinstein died on the 5th of January following an illegal jump from Cape Town’s landmark Table Mountain. The 32-year-old American failed to pull up in time while close to a hiking trail in the national park, colliding with rocks at speeds estimated to be around 120mph. The incident was viewed by those unfortunate enough to be hiking in the area at the time, with many said to be left ‘traumatised’.
Hiker Kirsten Enderby and her family were close to the area in which Weinstein crashed on his ill-fated final journey. Enderby described the moment that she saw Brendan approach on his descent; “He was so low I could see his face just before everything happened.” Another witness was almost hit by the American as the pilot flew towards them at speed: “He came crashing down between my husband and I – it all happened so quickly but I had to run fast-forward for him to miss me.”
Tributes have poured in for Wolnik as the dangers of wingsuit jumping continue to come to light. The French Parachuting Federation confirmed the death of Pierre, releasing a statement that read; “Pierre leaves behind the memory of a teammate whose presence will forever be felt. Today, the entire skydiving community mourns and pays tribute to a young man known for his talent and human qualities.”
Records show that BASE or wingsuit jumping records one fatality in every 500 jumps, a number that has already been impacted with just two months of the year gone. Former skydiver Jeff Ayliffe was critical of Weinstein’s planning prior to the Table Mountain descent, stating: “He hadn’t contacted any of the local base-jumping fraternity to speak to them about this exit point, although it had been jumped many times successfully. It is a very technical jump, however, it has had very sad consequences.”
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