A THRILLSEEKER died while trying to swing from a 40m-high bridge in a home-made harness at night.

Mitchell Kelly, 24, flipped upside down and smashed his head on a rock after plunging down to the bed of a dry river.

Friends said the rope broke or became unhooked, the Northern Territory News reported.

Mr Kelly's friends desperately tried to revive him.

But St John's Ambulance Operations Manager Kevin Blake said the tradesman was dead when ambulance officers arrived.

"There were quite a few people gathered around and they were very distressed," he said.

Mr Kelly and about 11 friends were swinging from the Geoff Moss Bridge over the Charles River, 5km north of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory, with a rope and a homemade harness when the tragedy happened on Saturday evening.

Police said the men were drinking but not excessively.

Several people had jumped from the bridge without mishap when Mr Kelly took his turn.

One of Mr Kelly's good mates, Luke Barrett, 21, said "bridge swinging" was dangerous but "got your adrenalin going".

He said the rope either snapped or unhooked.

"The idea is to jump off the bridge and swing underneath. When the swinging stops, you unhook yourself and climb down."

Mr Kelly had many friends in Alice. "He was the class clown among us - a good bloke, a genuine bloke," Mr Barrett said.

Town and Country pub barmaid Ali Abala, 21, said: "He was always happy. He always had a smile on his face.

"This is very tragic."

Submitted on 11/14/2010

Submitted by: Sean
Reference: www.news.com.au 15/11/10

Copyright © 2010 DarwinAwards.com

Bruce said:
Definitely Keep: Darwin Award
I'm sorry, but "home-made" and "harness" are two things that should NEVER be used in the same sentence. What sealed this for me was the friend who acknowledged that it was dangerous. Thanks, Sean!

James said:
Definitely Keep: Darwin Award
Bet he didn't have a smile on his face when that rope broke! Oh well, the juggernaut of natural selection trundles on...! Thanks, Sean!

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