Police slam Sydney BASE jumper: ‘The danger is unbelievable’

Police have criticised a professional base jumper for leaping from a structure in the Sydney CBD, scolding the French national for putting innocent lives in danger.

“It’s not just the recklessness of this incident that worries police,” Superintendent Michael Fitzgerald said.

“It was the fact that when we checked his equipment there were tears in his parachute that could easily have led to not only his own death but the death of any poor unsuspecting motorist along the western distributor.”

About 3.15am, 24-year-old former soldier Jonathan Prhrn allegedly entered the construction site on Wheat Road in Darling Harbour and climbed to the top of the 250m tall crane.

Police allege he then prepared his BASE jumping equipment, including a parachute and GoPro and parachuted over several lanes of traffic in Darling Harbour.

Darling Harbour rangers arrested the man when he landed on Darling Drive in Pyrmont.

He was taken into custody and charged with entering closed land and risking the safety of others by jumping off a structure.

“The danger is unbelievable, the margin for error would only be a matter of seconds, said Superintendent Fitzgerald.

Mr Prhrn was granted conditional bail and is expected to appear at Downing Centre Local Court on October 17.

He isn’t allowed to enter the Sydney CBD as part of his bail.

“He’ll be removed from the country as soon as his court proceedings are finished,” Superintendent Fitzgerald said. 

BASE jumping is the recreational act of parachuting from a fixed structure or cliff. The term 'BASE' is an acronym that stands for four objects jumpers usually leap from - buildings, antenna, span and earth.