Four charged after allegedly BASE-jumping from Brisbane high-rise crane

Four people have been charged after they allegedly parachuted from a crane atop a 41-storey Brisbane tower still under construction.

Three men, aged 29, 31, and 33, and a 24-year-old woman were arrested by police last night after a witness reported the incident.

Police said the group may have initially thought they had carried out the stunt without authorities noticing, but CCTV helped them to make arrests.

The group had jumped just before 10pm and landed safely in the Botanical Gardens before fleeing over the Goodwill Bridge, police believe.

They were arrested on Lower River Terrace in South Brisbane.

"Three male persons and a female person were located on the south side of the river, allegedly loading parachutes into their vehicles," a Queensland police officer said.

Each of them have been charged with participating in unregulated high risk activity, and police have said BASE jumping is not only illegal but also very dangerous. 

"It could have led to fatal consequences," Senior Sergeant Simon Tayler said.

"That's why we take it so seriously."

The group is believed to be from the Sunshine Coast and are well-known among the BASE jumping community. 

BASE jumping is named for four categories of structures from which participants can jump: buildings, antenna, span, and earth.