Hungarian wingsuit flyer Victor Kovats was confirmed dead on October 9, 2013, after plunging into a valley of Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park during his warming-up performing flight for the upcoming 2nd Redbull WWL World Wingsuit Championship in Zhangjiajie of Central China's Hunan province on October 8, 2013. Kovats’ body was found with a smashed skull at the foot of 100m cliff by the next morning after more than 17 hours’ continuous search. Kovats’ death is believed to be either caused by equipment failure or gusting winds, which tragically lead him to lose control with the parachute failing to open before landing.
(Victor Kovats dressed in orange wingsuit)
Wingsuit skydiving is the ultimate in extreme sports and performed by highly experienced individuals who have trained for years. Statistics claim that only several hundred people around the world dare to try Wingsuit skydiving, and dozens of them have died for it.
Victor Kovats was a top extreme sports enthusiast, a veteran of 6 years’ experience and 700 wingsuit dives, and a three-time Hungary national champion wingsuiter. He was preparing to compete the Second World Wingsuit Championship, scheduled to be held from Oct. 11 to 13, on which competitors are challenged to jump about 700 meters (2,290 foot) from the steep cliffs of Tianmen Mountain.
The Red Bull World Wingsuit League expressed its condolences on Kovats’ death and promised to conduct a thorough review of the events that lead into this accident and adopt any appropriate changes to improve safety, but stopped short of canceling the event.
Last photos of Victor Kovats
(Victor Kovats' last jump and fatal jump)
(Victor Kovats' and other contestants of the 2rd Wingsuit Flying World Championship )
(Kovats was found at the bottom of a 100m cliff with a cracked skull)
(Around 200 firefighters and police officers were involved in the search and rescue for Kovats in Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park)
(Contestants of the Wingsuit Flying World Championship mourn Kovats' passing...)
(Hungarian wingsuit flyer Victor Kovats )