British space scientist killed in wingsuit base jumping accident in Saudi Arabia

'Phenomenally talented' astronautic engineer was crowned British wingsuit champion last month

A British space scientist and university lecturer has died in a wingsuit base jumping accident.

Dr Angelo Grubisic, 38, was taking part in a planned jump in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday when he was killed.

The spacecraft engineer, who lectured in astronautics and advanced propulsion at the University of Southampton, had extensive experience of the extreme sport and was crowned a British wingsuit champion in July.

He was “phenomenally talented” and “lost his life doing what he loved the most”, his family said.

In a statement, they added: “We want to ensure his achievements and ambitions are known to the world and to celebrate the mark he made on all of our lives.

“Angelo captivated the hearts and minds of every single person who was privileged to meet and work with him. ‘The candle that burns twice as bright burns half as long’ has never rang more true to the family and friends Angelo had across the world.”

Grubisic had been leading a group of three experienced wingsuiters on an eight-day trip to scout for new locations when he was killed in the region of Al-Soudah, according to the Extreme Sports Company, which had worked with the scientist.

The University of Southampton said it was “extremely shocked and saddened” by the lecturer’s death.

It added: “In his time with us, Angelo made many pioneering contributions to the Faculty of Engineering & Physical Sciences’ research on astronautics. He was incredibly popular with his students and colleagues.”

Angelo Grubisic was crowned a British wingsuit champion the month before his death (Discovery Canada)

Grubisic worked “extensively” with the European Space Agency (ESA) and Nasa on the development of advanced propulsion technologies over the past eight years, according to his staff profile page. He was a consultant on the ESA’s BepiColumbo mission to Mercury, which launched in October last year.

He also founded the Icarus Project, in which he was working with students to develop wingsuits engineered to set world speed, altitude and distance records.

The university’s engineering department said it was “devastated” by the scientist’s death. It added: “This week we lost not just a colleague and a teacher but a friend and inspiration whose memory we will cherish, and our thoughts are with his family and friends at this time.”

Staff and students affected by Grubisic’s death were receiving support, the university said.

iFly, which runs indoor skydiving centres where Grubisic had held workshops for students and children, said he was “a real innovator and pioneer – passionate about human flight, aeronautics and aerodynamics”.

“He built, lead and delivered educational sessions at iFly designed to inspire children to fulfil their dreams, to make the most of their lives and to fall in love with science, technology, engineering and maths,” the company added, describing the scientist as “abundantly ambitious, enthusiastic, intelligent, charismatic, motivational, lovable”.

Bournemouth Air Festival, where Grubisic performed in a jet suit display team last year, also paid tribute to him on Facebook. It quoted him as saying: “If you are not doing what you love, then you are the crazy one.”

In January, Grubisic gave evidence at the inquest into the death of another British base jumper who died during a wingsuit flight in Italy’s Dolomites mountains.

He had completed his own flight moments before his friend Robert Haggarty, 47, crashed into a cliff ledge during a base-jumping holiday.