A 25-year-old Chinese man tragically lost his life while attempting a wingsuit flight in Italy. The man, known online as “RandyZ,” was a social media influencer and extreme sports enthusiast, known for posting videos of skydiving, surfing, and wingsuit gliding.
According to international media, the incident occurred at around 1:45 PM local time on August 5 near Mount Piz da Lec in South Tyrol. RandyZ had leapt from a high-altitude point in a wingsuit when he crashed into a cliff face mid-flight and died at the scene.
Reports state that one of his companions had successfully completed the same jump moments earlier. RandyZ followed shortly after but never arrived at the designated landing point. His friends on the ground, unable to locate him, alerted authorities.
Witnesses said the beginning of his flight appeared normal, but contact was lost soon after. A high-altitude mountain rescue team, aided by a helicopter, was dispatched and had to rappel over 100 meters down a steep cliffside to retrieve the body. The recovery was described as extremely challenging due to the rugged terrain.
Authorities have since placed the body in the Colfosco region, and an investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing.
It is understood that the route RandyZ attempted is known among extreme sports athletes as the “Death Star”—considered one of the most dangerous wingsuit paths in the world. Just a day prior to the fatal accident, RandyZ had successfully flown the same route and posted a video of the achievement on social media.
In that video, he wrote: “I’ve been eyeing the ‘Death Star’ route for two years. Today, I finally conquered this milestone challenge. The updraft is rising, and the fire in my heart is blazing. Whispering ‘the Force is with me,’ I lower my visor and begin my battle with death.”
The Chinese Embassy in Italy is currently in contact with the family and local authorities and is providing necessary support. The exact cause of the fatal crash remains under investigation.
