BASE jumper slams into cliff, falls 180 feet after parachute partially deflates

A BASE jumper somehow managed to survive a 180-feet fall after a gust of wind pushed him toward a cliff and his parachute partially deflated, the Independent reports.

Last Thursday, Sam Percival, 35, attempted to become the first person to jump off Lord Berkeley’s Seat on the An Teallach mountain in the Scottish Highlands. Though acknowledging that winds were "a bit too high," he said he decided to go ahead with his plans.

"It felt like being in a washing machine filled with boulders," he recalled.

Percival, an outdoor instructor, reportedly jumped off the 3,500-foot-high peak when a gust of wind blew him toward the cliff.

"I struck the cliff at about 30 mph," he said. "I tried to get hold of a ledge but I kept accelerating towards the floor of the gully."

The impact reportedly caused Percival's parachute to lose air.

"Next, I hit the bottom of the gully, One-hundred-eighty feet from where I struck the cliff," he explained. "I was underneath a pile of boulders that had come down with me."

Somehow, Percival managed to survive the drop.

"My clothes were in shreds," he said. "At first, I thought that adrenaline must be masking something, but I managed to get to my feet and basically all I have is a sprained ankle and wrist."

Upon witnessing the incident, the 35-year-old's friends immediately called for help. One of his friends jumped after him while another climbed down to tend to Percival, who was able to climb up to the main ridge, according to the Independent. Several hours later, the three were airlifted to the foot of the mountain.

"To say this young man is lucky to be alive is something of an understatement," said Donald Macrae, who led the rescue team's effort. "He must have a guardian angel."