Air Force Service Member Dies After Rappelling Fall Before UTSA Game at the Alamodome
SAN ANTONIO — A U.S. Air Force service member died after falling during a pregame rappelling demonstration before a University of Texas at San Antonio football game at the Alamodome on Saturday night, October 17. (GSM, via the Associated Press)
The game against the Naval Academy was UTSA's annual Salute to Armed Forces and Veterans matchup. Four service members were scheduled to rappel from the stadium ceiling to midfield before kickoff; one of them lost control partway down and fell hard onto the field. Video posted on social media showed the man, in combat fatigues, descending quickly and landing feet first near midfield. He was treated on the field for several minutes and taken away on a stretcher to a local hospital.
Nellis Air Force Base Public Affairs confirmed on Sunday that the service member, assigned to Detachment 2 of the 6th Combat Training Squadron, died at the hospital on Saturday night. His name has not been released, and the incident is under investigation. The detachment, which operates from Joint Base San Antonio-Camp Bullis, trains Tactical Air Control Party specialists who embed with Army and Marine units to direct air and artillery strikes from the ground; their training includes fast-rope descents from heights of 100 feet or more.
The fall delayed the game by about 10 minutes. Local media reported 23,297 fans in attendance. UTSA said in a statement it was deeply saddened, offered its thoughts to the service member, his family and his colleagues, and activated wellbeing services for students and staff; head coach Jeff Traylor called the accident heartbreaking and tragic. UTSA went on to win the game 38-34.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：事发场馆——位于 San Antonio 的 Alamodome 体育馆外景（资料图）。Greverod 摄，CC BY-SA 3.0，来源：Wikimedia Commons。The Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas (file photo). Photo by Greverod, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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