Sydney base jump lands in trouble

Base stands for building, antenna, span and earth

Two base jumpers landed themselves in trouble in Sydney when they parachuted from a high-rise block into the path of a passing police car.

Two officers on a patrol spotted a man floating down to earth before he landed in front of their car in the small hours of the morning.

He was arrested on the spot. A second man was caught after a brief chase on foot in the empty street, said police.

Both men have been charged with risking public safety.

Dropping in

Sydney Police Inspector Brenton Lee said: "I spoke to the officers and they were quite surprised. They said: 'That looks like a parachute coming down'."

The men - both aged 27 and from Sydney - will appear in court in May.

The term base jumping is derived from the four categories of fixed objects from which a parachute jump can be made - building, antenna, span and earth.

Base numbers are awarded to enthusiasts who have made at least one jump from each of the four categories.

Although some countries allow jumps from specific sites, in most circumstances they are illegal because of the extreme risk involved.