Thread: Chinese rooftopping star dead after fall from 62-storey building

HONG KONG - A 26-year-old Chinese rooftopping daredevil has fallen to his death from a 62-storey building in Changsha, the capital of China's Hunan province.


Police said Mr Wu Yongning fell to his death from the Huayuan Centre, the tallest building in Changsha, on Nov 8.
The South China Morning Post reported on Monday (Dec 11) that Mr Wu had stopped posting videos abruptly on microblogging site Weibo for more than a month


Mr Wu's family told the Xiaoxiang Morning Herald on Saturday (Dec 9) that he had taken part in a "rooftopping challenge" that promised 100,000 yuan (S$20,400) in prize money.


His step-uncle Mr Feng Shengliang told the media that Mr Wu might have risked his life for the prize money.
"He planned to propose to his girlfriend (the day after the challenge)," said Mr Feng. "He needed the money for the wedding, and for medical treatment for his ailing mother."



Mr Wu, who was from Ningxiang in Hunan province, worked as a film extra before he turned to a career in rooftopping.


In February this year, he started posting about his exploits on Weibo, amassing over a million followers.
He regularly featured in social media advertisements and live-streaming platforms.


The Beijing News had reported that Mr Wu's girlfriend called the police on Nov 9, after he failed to return.
The South Morning Post reported that Mr Wu was known for attempting his daredevil feats without any safety equipment.

He relied only on "martial arts training and careful planning", according to one of his posts on Weibo. He had shared nearly 300 videos of his adventures atop various buildings in China.

Chinese rooftopping star dead after fall from 62-storey building, East Asia News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

^ If that's the death vid, it looked more like he jumped...Or "pushed off"...

^ Nah. He was doing a daredevil stunt of pull-ups at 62 stories. Looks like he got a cramp in his arm or fingers and couldn't pull himself back up and finally just let go.

Silly coont wont be doing that again eh.

Police believe Wu fell about 45 feet onto a terrace below and died of fatal injuries during or shortly after the accident. His body was allegedly discovered by a window cleaner.

Well he certainly got the topping bit correct.

If you watch the video , there is a crashing sound , just as he goes out of view .
What caused that crashing sound ?
Sounds like he landed on something .

Well at least he died doing what he loved.

(Assuming what he loved was plummeting to the ground).

Wu Yongning: Who is to blame for a daredevil's death?

Last November, Wu Yongning went out to do what he loved best - scale a skyscraper without safety equipment and film himself dangling off its roof by his fingertips.


What happened next almost seems inevitable - the Chinese climber fell, plunging 62 storeys to his death.


His many thousands of followers grew concerned when he stopped posting videos of his stunts on sites like Huoshan and Kuaishou, but his death was only confirmed in recent days, first by his girlfriend, then by authorities.


A shocking clip of what appeared to be his final moments - his fatal attempt to scale a building in Changsha city - began circulating online this week.


His death has prompted uneasy soul-searching over the "cash for clips" internet video industry. Questions are now being asked about whether these platforms, and their viewers, are in some way responsible for his death.

A recent Beijing News investigation found that Mr Wu had posted more than 500 short videos and livestreams on Huoshan, garnering a million fans and earning at least 550,000 yuan (£62,000; $83,000). Huoshan had prominently promoted his videos as recently as June.



more Wu Yongning: Who is to blame for a daredevil's death? - BBC News

RIP. A scary and weird way to go for someone so young.

Hardly gripping....

Originally Posted by GracelessFawn

RIP. A scary and weird way to go for someone so young.

I believe the phrase is "som num na".

Why did he die?
Watch this and see how crazy this dude was. This is why he died. He did some stupid sh1t.

Originally Posted by Fluke

If you watch the video , there is a crashing sound , just as he goes out of view .
What caused that crashing sound ?
Sounds like he landed on something .

You mustn't have noticed this :

Originally Posted by Wilsonandson

Police believe Wu fell about 45 feet onto a terrace below and died of fatal injuries during or shortly after the accident. His body was allegedly discovered by a window cleaner.

If he couldn't accomplishment more than three pull ups then he was in the wrong line of work, RIP.

Originally Posted by misskit

Wu Yongning: Who is to blame for a daredevil's death?

Wu's to blame? Wu is.

Originally Posted by Wilsonandson

Why did he die?
Watch this and see how crazy this dude was. This is why he died. He did some stupid sh1t.

I used to do some crazy stuff. Not in this league, but I had a great head for heights. Climed the spire of Sky City Tower (it has rungs) without safety equipment etc. Exhilirating.
Now, I get seriously dizzy just watching this.
There, another flash of vertigo just thinking about it.

Anyone hear of "mustang wanted"? I am sure he is who inspired this kid.

Originally Posted by Chittychangchang

If he couldn't accomplishment more than three pull ups then he was in the wrong line of work, RIP.

I think the edge he was holding on to was rounded, so it was difficult to grab. See how he was wiping the edge repeatedly ?
In a previous video he had no problem doing chin-ups.
In this one he felt his hands slipping and couldn't do more because they would slip off. Then they did.

Originally Posted by Fluke

Sounds like he landed on something .

Teakdoor's Einstein strikes again