Skydiving instructor jumps off a cliff before a fatal fall

Chilling video footage captured the moment a skydiving instructor ran off the edge of a cliff and plunged to his death.

Jose de Alencar Lima Junior died on Sunday morning while attempting a speedfly – an aerial sport similar to paragliding – at Pedra Bonita in Sao Conrado, Brazil, according to news agency newsX.

Footage shows the 49-year-old army veteran running over the edge of the cliff, his parachute barely opening.

A crowd of onlookers can be heard gasping in horror as Lima disappeared over the edge and fell into a densely wooded area below.

Lima, who served as a paratrooper with the Brazilian Army’s Parachute Infantry Brigade, fell from about 800 feet and landed on some rocks below, according to authorities.

Rescuers searched the area for four hours before finding Lima’s lifeless body in a difficult-to-reach spot.

Witnesses told authorities that Lima appeared to trip over a hole before his fatal dive.

The cause of the fall is currently under investigation by police, who believe his equipment may have malfunctioned.

The experienced skydiving instructor lives in Germany but was visiting family in Brazil at the time, according to his sister-in-law, who did not want to be named.

“We have no idea what could have happened. But he was a professional skydiver for twenty years. He was experienced,” she said, noting that she had no idea if he had jumped off Pedra Bonita before.

“What happened was an accident,” she said.

Paragliding flights and similar activities at Pedra Bonita are conducted from an official ramp and access to the site is controlled by the Clube Sao Conrado de Voo Livre (CSCLV), which has accredited instructors to guide the tour in the air.

According to the CSCLV, Lima Pedra reached Bonita via a trail – not the slope – and jumped from an inappropriate location.

“The pilot did not use the ramp for takeoff. The place he chose for take-off is bad and even forbidden,” the CSCLV said.

They added: “The CSCLV is not responsible for the incident. With this clarification, may the pilot rest in peace.”

The investigation into the incident is ongoing.