Saturday, January 9, 2010

Highest base jump-Nasr Al Niyadi and Omar Al Hegelan sets world record   

 DUBAI, UAE-- Nasr Al Niyadi and Omar Al Hegelan from the Emirates Aviation Society made a perfect landing after jumping-with permission-2,205ft (672 meters) from the 160th floor of the Burj Khalifa , the world's tallest building - setting the new world record for the Highest base jump .

 Photo: Omar Al Hegelan does a somersault thousands of feet up after following his colleague Nasr Al Niyadi from the 160th floor of the building / Reuters ( enlarge photo )

The pair, from the Emirates Aviation Society, made the descent at speeds up to 137mph in under one and a half minutes.

Ahmad Al Matroushi , managing director of UAE of Emaar Properties which built the Burj Khalifa, said: 'The highest base jump undertaken by the UAE national and his trainer is another human achievement that complements Burj Khalifa's accomplished track-record of pushing frontiers.'

Photo: Mr Al Hegelan parachutes the final few feet to the ground in Burj Park Island after a 90 second descent from the skyscraper. / Reuters
   ( enlarge photo)

   Mr Al Niyadi, who was one of 15 base jumpers to set the previous Guinness world record for base jumping off the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, described the feat as 'the best experience ever'.

  'When we were at the top of the building I was thinking "this is crazy",' he told gulfnews.com.'I was a little nervous but I wanted to jump from the highest tower in the world to record an achievement for my family and for my country.