Deep in the Himalayan range, two of the world’s most experienced wingsuit BASE jumpers, Antoine Pecher and Éric Jamet from France, recently launched an extraordinary attempt to set a new world record in wingsuit flying. Their goal, to achieve a vertical descent of over 5,000 meters from the high slopes of Lamjung Himal, a mountain located near the Annapurna massif in central Nepal.
If verified, their flight would mark the highest-altitude wingsuit jump ever recorded, surpassing all previous achievements in this extreme aerial discipline. However, as of mid-October 2025, no official confirmation has been made by any recognized aviation authority that the Lamjung Himal attempt has been certified as a new record.
Ambition at the Edge of the Sky
The mission, organized in late September, saw Pecher and Jamet take off from a point around 6,983 meters above sea level, one of the highest locations ever used for a wingsuit flight. Launching from such an altitude is logistically complex and physically demanding. At those elevations, oxygen levels drop below 50 percent of what’s available at sea level, and weather conditions can shift dramatically in minutes.
According to reports from ExplorersWeb, the pair planned their expedition for months, waiting for a window of stable weather that would allow a safe jump and glide through the deep valleys below Lamjung Himal. Their target was to glide for several kilometers across the Himalayan landscape, aiming for a vertical drop exceeding 5,000 meters—a feat that would push the limits of both human endurance and aerodynamics.
Yet, despite completing the flight, details about the exact performance remain limited. The team has not released the official flight data, such as GPS logs, altitude drop, or glide distance, that would be required for record verification. For now, the flight remains a record attempt rather than a confirmed achievement.
Verification Still Pending
To be recognized as an official world record, a wingsuit flight must undergo a verification process overseen by organizations such as the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) or the World Wingsuit League. This process involves reviewing precise telemetry data, flight documentation, and independent witness reports.
As of now, no record validation has been announced by these organizations. The Lamjung Himal mission, therefore, remains classified as an attempt rather than a confirmed record-breaking flight.
This distinction is significant. While many adventurers push the boundaries of altitude and distance, only a small number of flights meet the strict data and procedural standards needed for recognition. In wingsuit BASE jumping—a discipline that combines mountaineering, parachuting, and aviation—verification is especially difficult because of the remote environments and limited tracking infrastructure.
A Legacy of Extreme Flights
Both Pecher and Jamet are not new to such ambitious projects. They have built reputations as pioneers in the field of wingsuit exploration, having completed several first descents in the European Alps and the Himalayas.
In 2022, the duo performed the first wingsuit BASE jump from Aiguille Verte to Mont Blanc, one of the most technically challenging mountain routes in the French Alps. That jump, documented by Alpine Mag, showcased their ability to merge alpinism and aerial precision. Starting from Aiguille Verte, at around 4,122 meters, they glided across some of the most iconic peaks in the Alps before deploying their parachutes safely below the Mont Blanc massif.
Their latest project in Nepal follows the same spirit—an effort to blend exploration, athleticism, and a deep respect for the mountains. For Pecher and Jamet, wingsuit flying is not just about adrenaline; it is also about discovering new perspectives on some of the planet’s most remote and majestic landscapes.
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“Eternal Flame”: A Film that Captures Their Journey
The duo’s Himalayan journey has also been immortalized in the short film Eternal Flame, which has been screened at the Banff Mountain Film Festival. The film explores the psychological and physical challenges of their expedition to the Himalayas, offering an intimate look at what drives them to risk everything for a few minutes of flight.
Through stunning aerial footage and raw emotional storytelling, Eternal Flame captures the essence of their adventure—standing at the edge of an icy summit, preparing to leap into the thin air, relying solely on skill, courage, and a few square meters of fabric between them and the ground.
According to the festival’s synopsis, Eternal Flame is less about chasing glory and more about understanding the spirit of human flight—the balance between fear and freedom, risk and control. It is this duality that makes their Lamjung Himal attempt resonate beyond the world of extreme sports, touching on universal themes of ambition, mortality, and transcendence.
Pushing the Limits of Human Flight
Wingsuit flying remains one of the most dangerous forms of human flight ever attempted. Unlike skydiving, where parachutes are deployed almost immediately after the jump, wingsuit pilots use their body and specially designed suits to glide horizontally at speeds exceeding 200 kilometers per hour.
In the case of Pecher and Jamet, launching from nearly 7,000 meters introduced additional hazards—temperatures well below freezing, thin air requiring supplemental oxygen, and unpredictable Himalayan winds that can turn deadly in seconds.
Despite these risks, their pursuit represents the cutting edge of aerial exploration. Over the past decade, wingsuit BASE jumpers have sought increasingly remote and high-altitude sites, transforming the sport from a niche extreme activity into a frontier of modern adventure science.
Each attempt, successful or not, contributes valuable data on flight dynamics, gear performance, and the physiological limits of humans operating at extreme altitudes.
Awaiting Official Word
As of October 2025, no public statement has been released by Pecher, Jamet, or any associated organizations confirming that the Lamjung Himal flight has been officially measured and ratified. Without this verification, their achievement remains an extraordinary but unverified attempt.
However, the attempt itself has already drawn attention within the global mountaineering and wingsuit communities. Whether or not it becomes a certified world record, the Lamjung Himal expedition underscores the evolution of wingsuit flying—from a daring stunt to a form of human expression that merges art, science, and the raw beauty of the natural world.
For now, the world watches and waits. If confirmed, Pecher and Jamet’s Himalayan leap will stand as one of the most remarkable milestones in the history of human flight. If not, it will still be remembered as a daring act of exploration at the roof of the world—proof that the desire to fly higher, further, and freer continues to burn within the human spirit. (Sulung Prasetyo)
