Jumpers take record leap off Dubai tower

Nasser al-Niyadi was the first to leap from a height of 672 meters (2,205 feet) from the 818-meter (2,684-foot) Burj Khalifa office tower in Dubai, Gulf News reported.

"The Burj Khalifa jump was the toughest jump I have done yet," al-Niyadi said. "I'm used to jumping out of planes where the second you're off you can feel the wind forces and you're able to control your flight.

"With base jumps there is no wind, you are starting stationary. So for the first 5 seconds I had no control, and I was drifting slightly toward the building, but then I gained enough speed and was able to control my fall and direct myself away from the Burj.

"About 11 seconds after the jump I opened my parachute and was able to pilot it to the main entrance of the Burj."

Al-Niyadi was followed in the feat by Team Faza Sky Coach Omar al-Hegelan.

"Seeing Nasser land safely was really a huge relief for me," al-Hegelan said. "Nasser is a very experienced jumper and we had trained a lot for the jump, and I had all the confidence in him.

"It was really amazing, an indescribable rush. Your limbs are still shaking from all the adrenaline when you're on the ground."

Base in base jumping stands for the four categories of fixed objects from which one can jump: buildings, antennas, spans (bridges) and Earth (cliffs).

Copyright 2010 by United Press International.