The thrill of freefall turned somber in the Swiss Alps last weekend, where a high-stakes leap ended the life of one of Britain’s most daring young athletes.
Liam Byrne, a 24-year-old wingsuit flyer from Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire, died on June 21, 2025, after a fatal jump from Gitschen mountain in Switzerland. Known for his skill, discipline, and passion for flight, Liam was a prominent figure in the extreme sports community and had recently been featured in a documentary showcasing his bold pursuit of flight.
The young athlete’s fatal wingsuit jump occurred just before noon last Saturday after he launched from a height of 7,874 feet.
Authorities from the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland and the Cantonal Police of Uri confirmed that three wingsuit pilots had taken off shortly before the accident.
An investigation into the circumstances is ongoing, and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is supporting his family.
His parents, Mike Byrne and Gillian Glass, confirmed his death to BBC Scotland News and shared a public family statement reflecting on his life.
“Liam was fearless, not necessarily because he wasn’t afraid but because he refused to let fear hold him back,” they said. “He chased life in a way that most of us only dream of and he soared.”
They also discussed how the athlete “felt most alive” while skydiving and base jumping and remembered him as “a son, brother, grandson, cousin and friend,” adding, “Though he has now flown beyond our reach, he will always be with us.”
The loss marks the end of a life defined by boundary-pushing adventure and meticulous dedication. At just 12 years old, Liam climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.
That formative experience led him to pursue more extreme challenges, including Arctic dog sledding, scuba diving, and major summit climbs.
He completed his first skydive at 16, and by 18 he was already donning a wingsuit, calling it a “second skin” that gave him the ability to “move through the air in a controlled way.”
Liam’s path and mindset were documented in the 2024 BBC program “The Boy Who Can Fly,” which followed him through a year of preparation for a demanding wingsuit jump off Männlichen mountain, which is over 2,000 feet up.
The flight required precise navigation through gullies and tree-lined slopes, highlighting not only his physical ability but also his mental focus and planning.
In the documentary, Liam recounted when his dream took root, “I think I was about 13 when I said to my dad that I wanted to learn to fly like a bird.”
He also spoke about watching seagulls during school and feeling a deep, almost instinctive connection to the sky.
“I do wonder why I love flying so much? Maybe my brain is wired differently to other people’s, maybe I deal with fear differently,” he said. “But I know myself well enough to know that an office job scares me far more than the fear of dying from a base jump or wingsuit flight.”
This passion, however, was not without its emotional toll. Liam openly acknowledged the impact of his pursuits on his family and how he strived to minimize risk through thorough preparation.
The key was sharpening his skills, which he had done over the past decade, believing that careful planning was the “heart” of every challenge and how he maintained control.
However, despite the inherent risks of his pursuits, Liam rejected the label of thrill-seeker. “For me I’m about as far from a reckless adrenaline junkie as you can possibly get,” he explained.
His father, Mike, a builder and former Royal Marine Commando, also appeared in the documentary. In one emotional scene, he watched his son take off and admitted, “I have buried him 10 times already in my head.”
Despite this recurring fear, Mike expressed admiration for his son’s courage and vitality. “He was an amazing kid growing up — anything I suggested he would be up for,” he said. “I was massively inspired by him. I wish I could be more like him.”
During the documentary, Liam also explained that he saved up money for his jumps by working in construction with his father. Additionally, the athlete enjoyed the freedom that living in a van on the road entailed. He hoped to turn his passion into a full-time career through coaching and competition.
Following his death, Liam’s mother, Gillian, updated her Facebook profile photo to one of Liam standing by a rocky ledge along the side of a steep mountain face, overlooking a fantastic view.
The post received condolences and messages of sympathy from those who knew him or had been inspired by his story.
Similar messages can be found on Liam’s social media accounts, which also document hundreds of moments of his flying adventures. At this time, we offer our sincere sympathies to his family and all those affected by this tragedy.