Skydiver in intensive care after skyscraper jump

An Australian skydiver who was injured in a jump off China’s tallest skyscraper has been hospitalised in intensive care, a doctor said today.

The lines on Roland Simpson’s parachute became twisted after he jumped off the 1,381-foot Jinmao Tower yesterday, the Australian Base Association said in a statement.

It said he landed on a building next to the landing area and was knocked unconscious.

Simpson, 35, was among 38 skydivers from 16 countries taking part in an exhibition of Base jumping.

Base is an acronym for building, antenna, span and earth – the places used by participants instead of planes to make jumps.

He was in intensive care at Shanghai’s Oriental Hospital, according to a doctor there.

The doctor wouldn’t give his name or details of Simpson’s injuries.

The newspaper Beijing News reported Simpson suffered unspecified severe injuries to his right side, and that rescue workers had to restart his heart.

The newspaper didn’t cite any sources.

Simpson was wearing a “wing suit” with fabric between the arms and body and between the legs that allows jumpers to glide in the air, the Australian Base Association said.

“Roland is a highly experienced jumper with more than 1,200 jumps,” the group said.

“He has competed in numerous competitions over the years. Roland is a very charismatic person and is well respected by the entire Australian Base jumping community,” it said.