HONG KONG: A 26-year-old Chinese rooftopping daredevil has fallen to his death from a 62-storey building in Changsha, the capital of China's Hunan province.
Police said Wu Yongning fell to his death from the Huayuan Centre, the tallest building in Changsha, on Nov 8.
The South China Morning Post reported on Monday (Dec 11) that Wu had stopped posting videos abruptly on microblogging site Weibo for more than a month.
Wu's family told the Xiaoxiang Morning Herald on Saturday (Dec 9) that he had taken part in a "rooftopping challenge" that promised 100,000 yuan (RM61,527) in prize money.
His step-uncle Feng Shengliang told the media that Wu might have risked his life for the prize money.
"He planned to propose to his girlfriend (the day after the challenge)," said Feng. "He needed the money for the wedding, and for medical treatment for his ailing mother."
Wu, who was from Ningxiang in Hunan province, worked as a film extra before he turned to a career in rooftopping.
In February this year, he started posting about his exploits on Weibo, amassing over a million followers.
He regularly featured in social media advertisements and live-streaming platforms.
The Beijing News had reported that Wu's girlfriend called the police on Nov 9, after he failed to return.
The South Morning Post reported that Wu was known for attempting his daredevil feats without any safety equipment.
He relied only on "martial arts training and careful planning", according to one of his posts on Weibo. He had shared nearly 300 videos of his adventures atop various buildings in China. – The Straits Times/Asia News Network
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