AUSTRIAN PARACHUTER PREPARES TO JUMP OFF CHRIST STATUE IN RIO, 1999-12-03 (photo)

Austrian parachuter Felix Baumgartner, 30-year-old, who goes by the code name "Base 502," prepares to jump from the arm of the Christ the Redeemer statue atop Corcovado mountain, overlooking Rio de Janeiro on December 1. It is the first-ever known base-jump made from the site. In base-jumping, which is illegal in most countries, parachutists jump from buildings, antennae, spans such as bridges and earth points like rocks, and the parachute is only pulled open at the very last moment. Baumgartner camped out overnite at the site and used a high-tech crossbow to shoot over the arm of the 30-meter-high statue to climb up. The statue and mountain are located 747 meters above sea level. GN/JP