A serving member of the United States military died after falling uncontrollably while rappelling from the stadium ceiling towards the midfield in front of a crowd gathered to watch a University of Texas at San Antonio (UT San Antonio) football game against Navy.
The incident took place on Saturday, October 17, at the Alamodome in San Antonio. The stadium’s roof is nearly 170 feet from the ground. According to the Nellis Air Force Base, the man succumbed to his injuries at a local hospital.
He was assigned to the 6th Combat Training Squadron, Detachment 2.
A probe has been initiated to ascertain what exactly resulted in the incident that took place at UTSA’s annual Salute to Armed Forces and Veterans game, which honours the military.
A video of the terrifying incident was circulating on social media.
It showed the man, whose identity was not immediately disclosed, dressed in combat fatigues and quickly descending to the ground feet first during the pre-match demonstration.
Fans were present in the stands and a band had assembled nearby on the field when the fall occurred. For several minutes, the service member was treated on the spot before being taken away on a gurney.
Despite the incident, the football game went ahead anyway, following a 10-minute delay, according to the Associated Press.
In an official statement, the UTSA said, “We are deeply saddened by the incident that occurred at the start of tonight’s game. Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with the soldier who was affected, his family and his military colleagues.”
Besides the man who died, three other military service members were also slated to participate in the public demonstration.
According to a US Air Force website cited by AP, the service members who were participating in the rappelling demonstration were part of a team of specialists who are trained to perform rapid rope descents, including from helicopters hovering 100 feet or more above the ground.
– Ends
(With agency inputs)
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