FAYETTEVILLE, W.Va. — Several base jumpers were treated for broken bones but no major injuries were reported at the close of Bridge Day 2013 on Saturday, the 34th year for the event.
Organizers said 450 base jumpers made 903 total jumps from the New River Gorge Bridge, the only day of the year it is legal to base jump from the bridge in Fayette County. The jumpers traveled to West Virginia from across the United States and the world.
“The Today Show” was on hand for the event. You can see the NBC story here.
Base jumpers leap from fixed objects and use parachutes constructed for rapid deployment to break their fall. Base is an acronym for “building, antenna, span and earth”—all of which are possible launching points for jumpers.
Route 19 reopened at the New River Gorge Bridge on Saturday following the event.