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A 24-year-old woman died Tuesday after attempting to BASE jump off Rock Canyon in Utah County.
Police said Holly Brittsan jumped off the north side of the canyon, falling about 150 feet before hitting a steep slope.
The woman, a University of Utah student, had been at the mouth of the canyon with two other people doing a school project, police said. Provo Deputy Fire Chief Gary Jolley said he is uncertain at this time, but the BASE jump might have been part of her project.
Jolley said the woman then went up the canyon with her boyfriend, who was to video record her jump. The third person stayed behind in the parking lot.
He waited for her chute to deploy but it didn't, police said. When he realized that something was wrong, he went for help. Jolley said other people in the canyon had seen what happened and also called 911 about 4:23 p.m. The boyfriend told police, the woman had experience with BASE jumping.
Jolley said the woman's chute was out when rescuers reached her but it is unclear whether it had fully deployed when she jumped.
"They are trying to determine that right now with their investigation to see to what extend the chute was deployed," Jolley said. Investigators will return to the scene Wednesday.
The woman's body was taken to the medical examiner's office to determine a cause of death. Police believe she is from the Idaho area.
BASE jumping involves leaping from a building, antenna, bridge or natural formation.