UAE | Crime
Skydiver admits trespassing on Burj Dubai to jump from its roof
A French skydiver has confessed to trespassing on the Burj Dubai before the security guards stopped him at the 24th floor in his attempt to climb up to the roof and jump with a parachute.
- By Bassam Za'za', Senior Reporter
- Published: 23:32 June 2, 2008
Dubai: A French skydiver has confessed to trespassing on the Burj Dubai before the security guards stopped him at the 24th floor in his attempt to climb up to the roof and jump with a parachute.
Records said the Frenchman, H.D., who served in the special parachuting team of the French Air Force during his one-year military service 20 years ago, came to Dubai for tourism and to skydive off the Burj Dubai.
"I walked into the building... yes I did," H.D. told the Dubai Court of Misdemeanor on Monday.
The Public Prosecution charged the suspect with trespassing into Burj Dubai without obtaining permission from the owners who are suing him for Dh20,500 in temporary compensation.
This marks the second case of its kind after the same court looked into the case of a British base jumper who pleaded guilty to skydiving from the 150th floor of the Burj Dubai.
H.D. told the public prosecutor who questioned him that he intended to jump with a parachute from the Burj Dubai "because it's the world's tallest tower".
Advocate Samir Jaafar who represented Burj Dubai owners lodged a civil lawsuit against the Frenchman who has been asked to pay Dh20,500 in temporary compensation against damages which were reportedly suffered by the property owners.
"I trespassed on the Burj Dubai on April 11 around 5am and met some men at the 24th floor... I told them I intended to jump off the roof with a parachute. They took me down and called the police.
"The parachute was strapped to my back and I wore a special helmet and safety jacket plus a camera to record the jump. I failed to obtain the owner's permission because I couldn't find their contacts," the suspect told the Public Prosecution.
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