An experienced wingsuit enthusiast has tragically died after experiencing technical problems with the apparatus that sent him crashing into a tree at speed after he jumped off a cliff just 850 metres off the ground.

The wingsuit enthusiast has been named as Eduardo Guermandi Lopes, 38, and he died after jumping from from the Pedra do Cabrito, which is located in the municipality of Castelo, in the south-eastern Brazilian state of Espirito Santo, on Wednesday morning, 2nd March.

Pedra do Cabrito is just 850 metres (2,789 feet) high and Eduardo is reported as having fallen some 900 metres (2,953 feet) to his death after having initially managed to gain some altitude.

It is currently unclear how fast Eduardo, who was reportedly an electrical engineer from Sao Paulo, was travelling when he hit the tree, but police investigating the incident said that they were called out at around 9.20am by a local guide.

The police said that the guide told them that Eduardo’s suit had suddenly malfunctioned, causing him to quickly lose altitude and crash into the tree.

Wingsuit flying, or wingsuiting, is not dissimilar to BASE jumping. With BASE jumping, the user only has a parachute and the thrill comes from freefalling and opening the parachute at the last minute.

With wingsuiting, however, the user wears a sleeved jumpsuit that allows them to glide at speeds often reaching nearly 150kph (93mph).

The police are reportedly investigating the case as an accident, but they added that the victim’s body has been sent to the Forensic Services Agency (SML) in the city of Cachoeiro de Itapemirim, also in Espirito Santo, for tests in order to determine the cause of death.

A police spokesperson told local media: “Only after tests will it be possible to confirm the cause of death.”