First Trio in ‘BASE Jump’ Showcase Adventurous Skills on Independence Day

A combination of three-member elite Commando and Special Force Regiments, making history on Independence Day at Galle Face Greens, Colombo, for the first time performed a ‘BASE Jump’ (Building, Antenna, Span and Earth) somersault and thrilled the spectators.

The trio, Major Nalin Kulathunga and Corporal A.L.A Premalal of Commando Regiment and Warrant Officer II H.K.S Kumarasiri of Special Force Regiment, who had received Pressurized Base Jump training in Austria, jumped off from the 53rd floor of the Shangri-La Hotel Colombo, near the Galle Face esplanade and showcased there adventurous skills.

BASE jumping is one of the most daring stunt acts, where the jumper takes a leap from a height (fixed object) over 500 feet from the ground level and quickly opens a parachute to land. As following are the four heights from which these jumpers are expected to exit, it is identified as the BASE.

The BASE jumper would climb to such heights and jumps on his own with a split second act to open his chute to glide to the place of landing. They wear a specially designed tailor-made parachute.

These parachutists have around 500 freefall skydiving jump experience under their belts. Since climbing to such places on foot demands a lot of physical fitness these jumpers need to be extremely fit. As such, now the Army has three BASE jumpers who could perform jumps from any suitable building, precipice, etc in the country.