One victim was identified as Moab jumper and guide Andrew Lewis.
MOAB, Utah — Two BASE jumpers died Sunday after an incident near Mineral Bottom, a remote area in Grand County, authorities said, prompting a response from deputies, emergency medical crews, search-and-rescue teams and two medical helicopters.
The deaths brought a major emergency response to canyon country northwest of Moab, where BASE jumpers use cliffs and other fixed objects for jumps. The Grand County Sheriff’s Office said both men died from their injuries at the scene. One was identified as Andrew Lewis of Moab, a well-known figure in the area’s BASE jumping and slacklining community. The second man was described by officials as 50 years old, but his name had not been released.
The sheriff’s office said the men were jumping in the Mineral Bottom area when the incident occurred. Officials did not release the exact time of the accident, the launch point, the landing area or the sequence of events that led to the deaths. Deputies, Grand County EMS, search-and-rescue crews and two Intermountain helicopters responded. The sheriff’s office said in a public statement that it “extends its deepest sympathies to the families, friends, and all those affected by this tragic incident.”
Lewis was also known in extreme sports circles as “Sketchy Andy.” Authorities identified him as a Moab resident, and FOX 13 News reported that the sheriff’s office confirmed he owned and operated BASE Jump Moab. KSL reported that Lewis had completed more than 4,000 jumps, citing information from the Moab Swingers website. The same site described Lewis as an athlete and performer who appeared at the Super Bowl Halftime Show with Madonna, judged international slackline competitions and traveled as an elite athlete. Officials did not say whether Lewis was guiding, jumping alone or jumping with others when the fatal incident happened.
The second victim’s identity remained withheld Monday. The sheriff’s office said only that he was a 50-year-old man and that he died at the scene. Authorities did not release his hometown, whether he lived in Utah or whether family notifications had been completed. No other injuries were reported in the initial public statements. Officials also had not said whether weather, wind, equipment, cliff conditions or timing played any role in the incident.
Mineral Bottom is a remote area of Grand County connected to the Green River corridor and public lands west of Moab. The region’s high cliffs, deep canyons and desert terrain draw outdoor users, including boaters, off-road drivers, climbers, hikers and BASE jumpers. Emergency responses there can be complicated by distance, rough roads and limited access. In this case, the response included both ground crews and helicopters, showing the scale of the effort needed to reach the scene and recover the victims.
BASE jumping is the sport of parachuting from fixed objects, including buildings, antennas, spans and earth features such as cliffs. In the Moab area, the sport is tied closely to the region’s cliffs and sandstone landscape. It also carries serious risk because jumps happen from lower heights than aircraft skydives and leave less time to respond to problems after launch. Local search-and-rescue crews have handled BASE jumping emergencies before, including rescues from canyon walls and hard-to-reach terrain.
Lewis’ death drew reaction from people who said they had jumped with him or followed his videos. KSL reported that Ruth Bryson of Asheville, North Carolina, said she traveled to Moab with her son during Mother’s Day weekend after being inspired by Lewis’ jumps online. “We were laughing and cutting up all the way up the mountain,” Bryson said, describing him as calm and compassionate. William Cragg of West Virginia also told KSL that Lewis’ videos pushed him toward an accelerated freefall program after he and his 14-year-old son jumped with Lewis weeks before the accident.
Jimmy Peterson, identified by KSL as Lewis’ lifelong friend and the co-founder of Moab Swingers, called the deaths a terrible accident. “At this time, we just like to release a statement saying that we are so sorry for the family and friends,” Peterson said in a statement. The sheriff’s office has not announced charges, citations or any criminal investigation. The case remains a fatal incident investigation unless authorities release new findings.
As of Monday, June 15, officials had released only one victim’s name and had not provided a full accident report. The next expected step is the release of the second victim’s identity and any additional findings from Grand County authorities.
Author note: Last updated June 15, 2026.