UK stuntman Steve Truglia dies in 90m fall from a helicopter

NZ Herald

20 Nov, 2016 01:00 AM2 mins to read

Stuntman Steve Truglia has died from helicopter fall in China. Photo / Facebook

A well known stuntman and SAS agent has been killed in an abseil race from a helicopter.

According to The Sun, Steve Truglia fell 90m in China and authorities are refusing to release further details.

The 54-year-old is well known for his work in James Bond movies and has featured in Tomorrow Never Dies and Mission Impossible.

Friends of Steve have said another stuntman was meant to be abseiling from the same chopper at the same time.

Ropes that were used had been left out overnight in heavy rain, making them potentially unsafe for the event, and the crew were held up by bad weather in Chongqing, southwest China.

Truglia, who served in the SAS (Special Air Service) and SBS (Special Boat Service) for 20 years, posted "Let's do this" on his Facebook page as he boarded the chopper for the fateful stunt on Thursday.

Posted by Steve Truglia on Friday, 11 November 2016

Ex-military colleague Phil Tunnicliffe said: "We have not been able to find out much about what happened. The Chinese company he was working for are trying to keep things under wraps."

"He had meant to be attempting the stunt on Tuesday above the Wulong National Park but it had been put off until Thursday because of heavy mist and fog."

"All we have been told is that there was a fall, but that does not make sense to us. Steve was a professional stuntman and had done these types of abseils many times."

Steve's girlfriend was informed of his death via a text message from a Chinese woman.

The Foreign Office said: "We have offered assistance to the family of a British national who has sadly died in Chongqing, China. Our thoughts are with them at this difficult time."