A wild video was posted on YouTube showing two base jumpers parachuting off the bell tower of the St. Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg, although authorities claim the high-flying stunt never occurred.
The amateur video shows the two mystery parachutists leap from the 123-meter tower one after the other, and slowly drift to the ground within the confines of the fortress surrounding the cathedral.
The spectacular jump took place last Sunday and was witnessed by several visitors, NTV.ru . The parachutists had taken the keys from the receptionist.
The video claims that it was the first time anyone had ever jumped from the spire. The footage ends as security guards run toward the jumpers as they land a few hundred yards from the cathedral. What happened next is unclear, as authorities deny that the incident even occurred.
"The entrance to the cathedral bell tower is guarded by the police. … The video that has been uploaded on the Internet is a falsification," said the press service of the State Museum of St. Petersburg, which resides in the fortress.
Base-jumping is a sport that involves parachuting off low-level, fixed structures, often landmarks. The jumps are usually illegal, particularly in urban areas, and planning for them is done in secret.