Salt Lake Firefighter Gabe Reilly Dies in Wingsuit Crash in Cache County

Key points

• Gabe Reilly, a 27-year-old firefighter from Salt Lake City, was identified as the victim of a fatal BASE jumping accident in Cache County, Utah.
• The incident occurred on Sunday morning near Leetham's Hollow, east of Millville Canyon, where Reilly jumped from a 700-foot cliff.
• Cache County Sheriff’s Office officials stated that Reilly’s wingsuit failed to generate sufficient lift, causing him to impact the ground at high speed.
• Reilly was part of a group of eight to ten people engaged in wingsuit-aided BASE jumping; all were described as experienced in the activity.
• This death marks the 15th global BASE fatality recorded in 2026, adding to a long-term registry of 541 deaths since 1981.

Background

This incident adds to a series of outdoor safety concerns in Utah this year. In early September, Cache and Box Elder counties dealt with a Salmonella outbreak affecting 21 individuals. Additionally, two other BASE jumpers died in a separate accident in Utah in June, including performer Andy Lewis. The current fatality brings the global count for 2026 to 15, according to the BASE Fatality List.

How outlets are covering it

KSL.com identified the victim as Gabe Reilly, a Salt Lake City firefighter, while NBC News and The Salt Lake Tribune initially withheld his name pending family notification. All outlets agreed on the cause of death: a wingsuit failure resulting in insufficient lift. The New York Times emphasized Reilly’s experience and the specific location near Millville Canyon. NBC News highlighted the broader context of BASE jumping fatalities, noting that 15 deaths have been recorded globally this year. The Salt Lake Tribune focused on the local response, noting that Life Flight crews declared him dead at the scene and used a helicopter to recover his body from the remote terrain.

Why it matters

The death of an experienced emergency responder highlights the inherent risks of extreme sports, even for skilled participants. It also underscores the challenges faced by search-and-rescue teams in remote, rugged terrain like Leetham's Hollow, where recovery operations require specialized aerial support.

What to watch

Authorities have concluded the immediate search and recovery operations. The family has been notified, and the incident is being treated as an accident. No further legal action is expected, as BASE jumping is a legal activity, but the fatality will be added to the global BASE Fatality List.