Two-time world wingsuit skydiving champion Pierre Wolnik has died in a tragic accident after his parachute failed to open during a free-fall jump over Mont Blanc.
As per reports, the 37-year-old Wolnik was attempting a high-risk jump on Saturday, February 7 over the highest peak in the French Alps. The stunt was to see him leap from a helicopter and free-fall for several seconds above the Mont Blanc massif before deploying the parachute that would carry him safely to the ground.
French outlet Le Figaro state that the parachute failed to deploy, however, and Wolnik subsequently plummeted to his death. First responders are said to have located his body in the village of Les Bossons and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Wolnik, an iconic figure in the skydiving world, was a member of the French team for the 2026 FAI World Championships. He also worked as a videographer for the Fédération Française de Parachutisme, recording his stunts on camera and then sharing them with his social media following.
The 37-year-old was a double world champion, with the New York Post writing that he won the prestigious Freefly World Championship in both 2022 and 2024.
Yves-Marie Guillaud, President of the Fédération Française de Parachutisme, shared a touching tribute to Wolnik on Facebook, penning: “The entire sport skydiving community mourns the loss of a talented young man with such a warm smile.
“Our condolences go first and foremost to his family and loved ones, but also to his teammates and the entire French national artistic skydiving team, and more generally to all French national teams. May the memory of this exceptional skydiver fill our hearts as skydivers.”
Weeks before the accident that claimed his life, Wolnik shared a video showing himself and fellow athletes practising in a wind tunnel.
The caption read: “Nothing beats winter four-way training at home.”
Paying homage to Wolnik on Instagram, the Fédération Française de Parachutisme wrote: “A videographer with the French National Artistic Parachuting Team and two-time Freefly World Champion in 2022 and 2024, Pierre leaves behind the memory of a teammate whose presence will forever be etched in the hearts of his loved ones.
“Today, the entire sport parachuting community mourns and pays tribute to a young man renowned for his talent and exceptional character.”
Rest in peace, Pierre Wolnik.
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