BASE jumper plummets to his death after wingsuit failure in Utah canyon
Gabe Reilly, 27, was a firefighter with the Salt Lake City fire department, which described him as being kind-hearted and his free-spirited by nature.
BASE jumper Gabe Reilly, 27, lost his life in Utah after his wingsuit malfunctioned during a jump, authorities confirmed. Reilly, a firefighter with the Salt Lake City Fire Department, had served the department for four years following in the footsteps of his father. He was known for his infectious smile, kindness, and adventurous spirit.
The accident occurred near Leetham’s Hollow in Millville Canyon, a popular BASE jumping spot with mountainous terrain. Reilly jumped from approximately 700 feet, and search and rescue crews arrived at the scene at 9:10 a.m. on Sunday to find him unresponsive. Chief Sheriff’s Deputy Doyle Peck stated that something went wrong during the jump, and Reilly did not have enough lift with his wingsuit, impacting the ground at high speed and resulting in his death.
This is not the first fatal incident involving BASE jumping in Utah this year; in June, another extreme athlete and daredevil, Andy Lewis, died alongside another individual during a tandem jump. Lewis, known for performing with Madonna, owned BASE Jump Moab, a business offering tandem jumps to inexperienced thrill-seekers. Since records began in 1981, there have been 15 BASE jumping fatalities in 2026, with 548 deaths recorded throughout the years.
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