Mark Sutton (C) dressed as James Bond before his iconic London Olympic parachute jump (Twitter/@ELLAMCSWEENEY)
Mark Sutton (C) dressed as James Bond before his London Olympic parachute jump (Twitter/@ELLAMCSWEENEY)

The stuntman who provided one of the highlights of the London 2012 Olympics by jumping out of a plane dressed as James Bond during the opening ceremony has died in a wing-diving accident.

Mark Sutton, 42, was killed after he crashed into a mountain in the Swiss Alps town of Martigny. He was reportedly taking part in a three-day wing-diving event when his suit failed after jumping from a helicopter.

Wing-divers wear a special suit which allows them to glide through the air before a parachute is deployed to help them land.

According to Swiss media, Sutton and a colleague were attempting to land near the village of Le Peuty after jumping from a height of 10,800 feet (3,300 metres).

Sutton, a former army officer, is believed to have died instantly after hitting a rock on his fall. He had been invited to take part in the event with 19 other wing-divers.

An investigation has been launched into the accident.

Sutton jumped out of a helicopter with a stuntman dressed as the Queen (Reuters)
Sutton jumped out of a helicopter with a stuntman dressed as the Queen (Reuters)

Sutton was best known for being the body double of Daniel Craig's James Bond when he and fellow stuntman Gary Connery - who dressed as the Queen - arrived at the Olympic Staduim via parachute.

After news of Sutton's death broke, Connery tweeted: "All you jumpers/flyers out there, stay safe, make wise choices and know your limits and your locations. Live to tell your stories. One love."

Connery told the Sun Sutton was a "smart, articulate and funny" person.

He added: "In any sport where you share a common bond you can make friends in a heartbeat that last a lifetime.

"My relationship with Mark was like that."

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