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American Speed Rider, 35, Dies in Fall on Aiguille du Midi’s North Face

Witness reports of a loss of control after takeoff underscore the danger of flying a small wing close to the Aiguille du Midi’s steep slopes.

Overview

  • PGHM Chamonix, alerted around 10:30 a.m. Sunday, deployed the Choucas 74 helicopter to search the north face of the Aiguille du Midi.
  • Witnesses said the rider lost control of his canopy soon after taking off from the flat beyond the ridge on the north face.
  • Rescuers found his body mid-morning about 1,000 meters below his departure point, according to local reports.
  • Authorities have not released the man’s identity or a fuller cause of the accident, and current accounts rely on witness statements and rescue details.
  • Speed riding pairs a small paraglider-style wing with skis for fast, low-to-slope glides, and the Mont-Blanc area has seen fatal crashes in May 2025, 2019 and 2017.