Tragic Loss of Scottish Wingsuit Flyer Liam Byrne in Swiss Alps Jump

Renowned for his adventurous spirit and over 4,000 jumps, Liam Byrne's untimely death has resonated deeply with friends and family, who celebrate his fearless exploration and zest for life.

A Scottish wingsuit flyer has tragically lost his life during a jump in the Swiss Alps. Liam Byrne, 24, a celebrated British champion hailing from Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire, was critically injured after taking off from an elevation of 7,874 feet (2,400 meters) on Gitschen mountain. He was prominently featured in a 2024 BBC documentary titled "The Boy Who Can Fly," showcasing his daring feats in wingsuit flying—an extreme sport that combines skydiving with specially designed suits that allow pilots to glide through the air.

Byrne had an impressive record of over 4,000 jumps throughout his decade-long career. In the documentary, he expressed a lifelong passion for flight, recounting how at 13 he declared his desire to "learn to fly like a bird" to his father. "Even at school, I would stare out the window at the seagulls flying and always feel that sense of envy," he said, reflecting on his connection to the freedom of flight. Although aware of the risks associated with extreme sports, Byrne acknowledged that his thrill for wingsuit flying outweighed his fears, stating that he preferred the exhilaration of base jumping to a conventional office job.

The young adventurer embarked on his journey into extreme sports early, from climbing Mount Kilimanjaro at 12, which led to diverse adventures such as dog-sledding in the Arctic and scuba diving, before taking to the skies with a wingsuit at 18. His family has confirmed the tragic news, expressing their immense pride in his adventurous spirit and life lived to the fullest. "We want to remember Liam not just for how he left this world, but for how he lived in it," they stated, honoring his boundless energy and infectious laughter.

In an emotional moment captured in the documentary, Byrne's father, Mike, reflects on the duality of joy and concern inherent in his son's pursuits, revealing how he has "buried him 10 times already in my head." Nonetheless, he acknowledged the happiness that these daring pursuits brought to Liam, a testament to his fearless character and adventurous spirit. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has since confirmed its support for the family of the British man affected by this tragedy in Switzerland.