Daredevil Photographer’s Friend Says it is ‘Impossible’ That He Slipped Off Skyscraper
A friend of the photographer who died when he fell off a skyscraper in Hong Kong has claimed that it is impossible he slipped.
Remi Lucidi fell off the 68th floor of the Trengunter Tower Complex on July 27 with reports that he had been knocking on the window of an apartment before he fell.
In an interview with the Mirror, Lucidi’s friend and fellow urban climber Dakamaru says that “When you reach a certain level of skill you don’t just slip and fall. It’s not possible.”
Dakamaru reveals that he had been chatting with Lucidi on Instagram regularly prior to his death and the pair were planning trips together.
“He was excited about climbing buildings in Hong Kong. He said he took some beautiful photos,” he tells the newspaper.
The urban climber says that not very much planning goes into the dangerous climbs and that his friend’s death will not deter him from continuing his own antics.
“This doesn’t happen often. We do not just fall. Had my friend had any partner with him to back him up he would still be alive. A comrade would call for help,” says Dakamaru.
“Tragedies such as my friend’s never shake our core beliefs. We know what we’re doing and why we’re doing it. We are aware of the consequences. I can’t imagine the process of people telling us: ‘You might fall, it’s dangerous, you will die if you fall’…Well, imagine what a massive revelation this is for us.
“When you reach a certain level of skill you don’t just slip and fall. It’s not possible. According to the witness, Remi was stuck outside of a window. It must have been a place that he could not maneuver out of. He must have spent enough time there to get tired and not be able to keep to it any longer.
“The witness claimed he’d been out on the window knocking. Probably on a thin edge outside. Not much space to move. Probably no way to sit, turn, crouch or change position in any way. And no matter how physically fit you are, in such conditions, you’re bound to get tired eventually.”
Rooftopping
Lucidi’s death has sparked a wave of criticism for such adventures; with many calling them out for being unnecessarily reckless.
Rooftopping, or urban climbing, is a form of urban exploration and social media has motivated some individuals to push the limits further and further.
According to a recent article in The New York Times, one rooftopper photographer, Neil Ta, quit the pastime after becoming disillusioned when it became a “contest to see who can take the most dangerous pictures.”
Image credits: Photos by Remi Engima and Dakamaru.
