Yahoo Finance Fans in shock over tragic death of 36-year-old extreme sports icon
Vincent Reffet, one of the world-renowned Dubai ‘Jetmen’, was killed on Tuesday in a training accident.
Reffet’s flights over the world's tallest building and alongside a jumbo jet with engines strapped to his back have been watched millions of times online.
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Jetman Dubai announced in a statement on Tuesday that the 36-year-old Frenchman was killed during a training accident.
The organisation did not elaborate, though it said it was “working closely with all relevant authorities.”
“Vince was a talented athlete, and a much-loved and respected member of our team,” the statement said.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and all those who knew and worked with him.”
Dubai police did not immediately acknowledge the incident.
The United Arab Emirates' General Civil Aviation Authority, which investigates all aviation incidents in this federation of seven sheikhdoms, did not immediately return a call for comment.
Reffet had BASE-jumped off the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building at 828 meters in Dubai, setting a world record. BASE is an acronym for building, antenna, span and earth.
He earlier earned gold medals while competing as a free-flying skydiver on a team and competed as an extreme athlete sponsored by Red Bull.
The thrills were in his blood as his parents were also skydivers.
“I believe that if you dream big and if you love what you do everything is possible," Reffet was quoted as saying.
Fans in shock over Vincent Reffet’s death
But the general public in Dubai came to know Reffet as part of Jetman Dubai.
The organisation, founded by Swiss adventurer Yves Rossy, sees its athletes zip across the sky with a four-engine, carbon-Kevlar wing strapped to their backs.
The wings can fly 50 kilometres, have a maximum speed of over 400 km/h and can reach an altitude of 6,100 meters (20,000 feet).
Under the brand of XDubai, which is associated with the crown prince of Dubai, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the jetmen have flown past the Burj Khalifa and other sites around the city-state.
Famously in 2015, Reffet and Rosy flew alongside an Emirates Airbus A380 double-decker jetliner over Dubai.
“It’s the sensation of freedom. Already, you know, when I am skydiving, I have like this feeling of freedom I can like pretty much go where I want but always going down,” Reffet told The Associated Press in 2015.
“With this machine … I can fly like a bird.”
Fans were left gutted by the news of Reffet’s death.
We will miss you #VinceReffet #Rip @Jetman : It is with unimaginable sadness that we announce the passing of Jetman Pilot, Vincent (Vince) Reffet, who died this morning, 17 November during training in Dubai. pic.twitter.com/KdbSvD9Ij1
— Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum (@_fazza_3_) November 17, 2020
True. There'll be a lot of pain out there right now.
— Adam (@SkyHiFreeFlyGuy) November 17, 2020
Teach the angels how to fly 🤍 Fly High Legend🖤
You pushed the limits of humankind and made the impossible possible, what a loss.. what a loss legend... #vincereffet #RIP #jetman https://t.co/FOeUeu7BtA— Hadeel Alfar (@Hadeelalfar) November 17, 2020
RESPECT 🙏 👇🏾Rip Vince Reffet https://t.co/46NmlF6um8
— LeoVC (@LeoVazquezC) November 17, 2020
Sad to hear of the death of @VinceReffet. We were on my favorite partnership together!
— Tiboxstick (@tiboxstick) November 17, 2020
Rip Vince Reffet 🪂
— Carlito (@charleslbrrg) November 17, 2020
The world tragically lost its best jetpack pilot today. RIP @VinceReffet pic.twitter.com/zHkEOlVScu
— Scott Peter Rowan (@scottrowan11) November 18, 2020
With Associated Press
