Antoine Montant dies BASE-jumping

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Red BullAntoine Montant was an accomplished skier and paraglider.

Antoine Montant died in a BASE-jumping accident this weekend in Haute Savoie, France, according to Montant's sponsor, Red Bull, and French news reports.

Searchers found his body in the mountains on Sunday. The accident is believed to have happened a day earlier. Some reports suggest that Montant's parachute failed to open, but according to Red Bull, the authorities are still investigating the details.

Montant won three consecutive titles at the Speed Flying Pro, an invite-only event for the world's best speed fliers at France's Les Arcs resort, and he was the subject of several ski and speed flying videos.

"What he loved most of all was to be in the mountains, climbing up the slopes ready to make his descent by whatever means available: extreme skiing, base jumping or speed riding," says a story on RedBull.com.

Montant was 30 years old.

Other BASE-jumping fatalities in recent years include pro skier Shane McConkey, who passed away in a ski-BASE accident in March 2009, Australian Jimmy Freeman, who died BASE-jumping in Nov. 2009, and American James "Pete" Certain, who died in September in Twin Falls, Idaho.

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