A 37-year-old two-time French freefly world champion, Pierre Wolnik, has died after his parachute reportedly failed to deploy during a freefall jump over the Mont Blanc massif in southeastern France on Saturday, February 7.
His body was later found in the Les Bossons area of the Chamonix Valley, where emergency responders pronounced him dead at the scene.
Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Wolnik was a member of the French national team preparing for the 2026 FAI World Championships. Beyond competition, he was widely known in the skydiving community as a videographer for the Fédération Française de Parachutisme (FFP), capturing and sharing footage of freefly performances and aerial stunts on social media.
In a statement, the FFP says Wolnik will be “remembered as a teammate whose presence will forever be etched in the memories of those around him.”
FFP President Yves-Marie Guillaud described him as a talented athlete with a warm personality, adding that the entire sport parachuting community is mourning his loss.
Just months before the accident, Wolnik shared a freefall video on Instagram with the caption: “Flying high, feeling free. Because up there, everything makes sense.”
