Hannes Arch mourned

The multi-talented Arch was raised in mountains of Austria and first gained world attention as a BASE jumper and mountain climber. He combined his passions in creative ways, including a high-speed slalom run through an Austrian wind farm that was filmed by Red Bull and posted on YouTube.

Austrian media, citing police sources, reported Arch was headed to Salzburg on Sept. 8 from a cabin in the Grossglockner area in Carinthia, on a night flight with visual flight conditions and good weather. The helicopter flew into a rock wall at about 7,500 feet, Der Spiegel stated in an online report including photographs of the wreckage. The crash site, in an area of steep terrain, was reached in about three hours by a team of 41 mountain rescuers that included three paramedics. Arch was declared dead at the scene; his 62-year-old passenger was taken to a hospital with serious injuries.

Red Bull, the energy drink giant with which Arch had a relationship spanning more than 25 years, was among the first to eulogize the fallen pilot. Arch, Red Bull said, lived for new challenges. The 2008 Red Bull Air Race champion, Arch was also the inventor of another Red Bull event, the X-Alps, which combines mountaineering and paragliding.

“His passion made him a role model for many, while his decisiveness enabled him to write sporting history and his determination turned him into a world champion,” Red Bull wrote in an online tribute. “We salute this outstanding athlete and sadly say: Rest in Peace, Hannes. We'll sadly miss your warmth, your sense of humour and your almost limitless energy.”