Olympics stuntman Mark Sutton dies in Switzerland wing-diving accident
Sutton, who was James Bond's stunt-double in London 2012 opening ceremony, hit ridge after jumping from helicopter
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Skydiver Mark Sutton, who has died in an wing-diving accident. Photograph: Gary Connery Archive/Getty Images
The stuntman who played James Bond's double at the London Olympics' opening ceremony has died in a wingsuit accident in Switzerland.
Mark Sutton, 42, was killed on Wednesday when he hit a mountain ridge, after jumping from a helicopter in the aerodynamic suit, a preliminary investigation by police has indicated.
His friend Gary Connery, who doubled for the Queen and jumped with Daniel Craig's substitute into the Olympic stadium, told the Sun that Sutton had been smart, articulate and funny.
"In any sport where you share a common bond you can make friends in a heartbeat that last a lifetime," he said. "My relationship with Mark was like that."
Mark Sutton parachutes into the Olmpic Games opening ceremony dressed as James Bond on 27 July 2012. Photograph: Niviere/Chamussy/SIPA/Rex Features
Wingsuits are special jumpsuits which increase the surface area of the body and act like a parachute wing, allowing users to glide through the air at high speeds before deploying a parachute.
Police in the Swiss Valais canton said a 42-year-old Briton had died after jumping with a friend from a helicopter while wearing a wingsuit above the Grandes-Otannes area, close to the French border. In a statement they said the men had jumped from a height of 10,826ft (3,300m) at around 11am and had planned to land close to the hamlet of Le Peuty, near Trient.
But Sutton, a former Gurkha Rifles officer, whose YouTube account shows a number of his wingsuit flights, has yet to be formally identified.
The wingsuiters were in the region as guests of a company specialising in filming extreme sport for the internet.
Mark Sutton (left) and Gary Connery pictured in their wingstuits last year. Photograph: Gary Connery Archive/Getty Images
A statement on the website of Epic TV, which organised the non-competitive event near Martigny, said: "The accident occurred on the first day of the three-day event after several successful jumps had already been made.
"Rescue services arrived quickly and determined that Mr Sutton had immediately died upon impact." Its statement called Sutton's death "a tragic loss".
Trey Cook, editor-in-chief of Epic TV, based just over the border in Chamonix, France, told the Guardian Sutton was among 20 of the world's best wingsuit pilots invited to take part in the event.
Sutton had jumped with Tony Uragallo, a well-known manufacturer of wingsuits, and, like the other pilots, had been equipped with small Goprocameras commonly used in extreme and adventure sports.
Unfortunately, however, Uragallo had lost track of Mark as he "flew out of sight". Cook said he had not known Sutton well but "on the few times I spoke to him he was a lovely person, full of energy and positivity and just passionate about life and living, getting the most out of life as he could".
After the accident, said Cook, the organisers "took a step back and let the pilots determine what would happen". Most had decided to continue to fly "in tribute to Mark" although Uragallo had not flown again.
"Wingsuiting does have its risks, like extreme skiing or Formula One car racing. Accidents happen and it is a sport that is very unforgiving for its mistakes. It is definitely not the first accident of this kind."
Sutton, from Shere, Surrey, also worked as a consultant for RBS Markets and International Banking, the banking group said on Thursday. "We would like to offer our condolences to his family and our thoughts are with them at this very difficult time."
In a tweet on Wednesday, Connery said in what appeared to be a grieving message: "All you jumpers/flyers out there, stay safe, make wise choices and know your limits and your locations live to tell your stories one love."
Two months before the pair's spectacular Olympics appearance, Connery became the first man to complete a skydive without a parachute and only a wingsuit, "jumping from a helicopter at 2,400ft and flying 3/4 of a mile to land in a big pile of cardboard boxes mounted on cow pats!!!" – as he put it on his website.
Sutton was the cameraman recording Connery's jump.
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