British wingsuit flyer dies during Swiss Alps jump

A Scottish wingsuit flyer fell to his death during a jump in the Swiss Alps

Liam Byrne, who was dubbed 'the boy who can fly', was described as a very experienced wingsuit flyer.

Wingsuit flying can be compared to a type of skydiving, which involves wearing a special suit with webbing to allow mid-air lift.

Byrne had completed over 4,000 jumps during his 10-year career.

In the 2024 BBC documentary 'The Boy Who Can Fly', Liam expressed his interest in flying from a young age: "I think I was about 13 when I said to my dad that I wanted to learn to fly like a bird."

He went on to explain: "Even at school I would stare out the window at the seagulls flying and always feeling that sense of envy that they have that freedom to just take off and fly away.

"I do wonder why I love flying so much? Maybe my brain is wired differently to other people's, maybe I deal with fear differently.

"But I know myself well enough to know that an office job scares me far more than the fear of dying from a base jump or wingsuit flight."

According to Byrne, he did often think about how much his passion worried his family, despite all his efforts in making the sport as safe as he could.

He told the BBC that preparation was key to being safe.

"I've spent the last decade training to increase the skills and decrease any risk.

"For me, I'm about as far as a reckless adrenaline junkie as you can possibly get. Preparation has always been at the heart of all my challenges. The more I prepare, the more control I have."

"I have buried him 10 times already in my head"

Liam had been captivated by extreme sports from a young age. At just 12 years old he climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, a peak in Tanzania, Africa, standing at 5,895 meters (19,341ft) high.

From that moment onwards, his adventurous spirit couldn't be stopped, with dog-sledging through the Arctic, scuba diving, and various big summit climbs to follow.

When Liam was 16 he did his first skydive and by 18 he reverted to wingsuit flying.

Byrne's parents have confirmed their son's death to BBC Scotland News.

A family statement said: "We would like to remember Liam not just for the way he left this world, but for how he lived in it.

"Liam was fearless, not necessarily because he wasn't afraid but because he refused to let fear hold him back. He chased life in a way that most of us only dream of and he soared.

"Skydiving and base jumping was more than just a thrill for Liam - it was freedom. It was where he felt most alive," per the BBC.

The 2024 documentary shows Liam's father watching his son take off on a training jump and says "I have buried him 10 times already in my head".

Mr Byrne goes on to say he did realise the joy the sport gave Liam.

"He was an amazing kid growing up - anything I suggested he would be up for. I was massively inspired by him. I wish I could be more like him."