American Dies in Eiger Wingsuit Accident

Tragedy struck in the Swiss Alps on Monday, August 18, when a 58-year-old American man named Kirk Hawkins died in a wingsuit accident at the foot of the Eiger in Switzerland. Hawkins was the former CEO of ICON aircrafts and a former US Air Force F-16 pilot.

Police in Bern reported the man was part of a four-person group who jumped from a helicopter near the 13,015-foot summit. The group planned to follow the mountain’s eastern ridge before pulling their chutes. At some point during the flight, the American lost control. Witnesses say he struck several trees west of the Schüssellouwinegraben before crashing to the ground.

Rega air rescue and Alpine Rescue Switzerland rushed to the scene, but despite the quick response, there was nothing they could do. They pronounced the man dead on site. His name has not yet been released as authorities work to notify his family. The Federal Prosecutor’s Office has launched an investigation into the accident.

The Eiger looms above the resort town of Grindelwald. Its sheer north face, the infamous Eiger Nordwand, has claimed countless lives since climbers first began attempting it nearly a century ago. In recent decades, the peak has also become a hotspot for BASE jumpers and wingsuit flyers.

But the risk is immense. Wingsuit BASE jumping is widely considered one of the deadliest sports on earth. Unlike skydiving, where altitude gives jumpers time to recover from mistakes, wingsuit flights that trace terrain leave almost no margin for error.

This latest wingsuit accident underscores both the allure and the extreme danger of one flying along Switzerland’s iconic Eiger.

Our thoughts are with those affected by this tragedy.