David Kirke, performer of world’s first modern-day bungee jump, dies aged 78
The man who performed the world’s first ever modern-day bungee jump, while wearing a top hat and tails and holding a bottle of champagne, has died aged 78.
David Kirke, the man who performed the world's first modern bungee jump, has passed away at the age of 78. In 1979, he and three friends leaped off the Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol using elastic cords, sparking the global bungee jumping phenomenon.
Kirke was inspired by a land-diving ritual in Vanuatu. Despite facing fines and bans for their early jumps, his Dangerous Sports Club expanded the sport to famous locations like the Golden Gate Bridge.
Kirke's family described him as a "free spirit" who made friends worldwide and brought happiness through his daring feats and adventures in extreme sports.
