The Associate Press reports that Dean Potter, the American free climber, alpinist, BASE jumper, among other extreme endeavors, died while attempting a wingsuit flight in Yosemite National Park.

According to the report, a park spokesman said that someone called for help late Saturday after losing contact with Potter and climbing partner Graham Hunt. The two had supposedly made a jump from the 7,500 feet promontory named Taft Point, as said by park ranger Scott Gediman.

The 43-year-old Potter and 29-year-old Hunt wore wingsuits, which as noted by the AP are skin-tight suits with batwing sleeves, along with flaps on the leg areas to help those that wear it to glide. According to Gediman, the problem occurred when the parachutes designed to slow their descent failed to deploy.

As told by the park ranger, a search-and-rescue team failed to locate the extreme athletes overnight. A helicopter crew then found their bodies Sunday morning in Yosemite Valley. "This a horrible incident, and our deepest sympathies go out to their friends and family. This is a huge loss for all of us," Gediman was quoted saying.

As noted by Gediman, Potter and Hunt both lived near Yosemite, and were renowned figures in the park's climbing community.

Potter has long enjoyed notoriety for pushing the boundaries of climbing, as highlighted by the AP report. He is famous for climbing up with just his bare hands absent the use of ropes. Potter set the record in 2009 for completing the longest BASE jump from the Eiger North Face in Switzerland. During the jump, he stayed in flight using a wingsuit for two minutes and 50 seconds. The achievement subsequently earned Potter the title of Adventurer of the Year awarded by the National Geographic magazine.

"BASE jumping is the most dangerous thing you can do. The odds are not in your favor, and sadly Dean pulled the unlucky card," action lifestyle cinematographer Corey Rich was quoted saying.