Atomium management to take legal action against base-jumpers

The Atomium will file a legal complaint after two men carried out an illegal base jump from the iconic Brussels landmark last week.

The parachute jump, which took place at night, has prompted the monument’s management to tighten security and launch a full review of safety procedures.

The video was posted on social media by French-based account @le_sage_sicilien, gaining countless likes and views. The same account posted a video last month of people base-jumping rom the Proximus Tower in Brussels, as well as other high risk jumps such as at La Défense in Paris.

Geoffroy Coomans de Brachene, Brussels alderman and president of the Atomium non-profit organisation, condemned the stunt and confirmed that legal steps were being taken.

"We’re always open to projects, including these kinds of jumps, but they must be legal, with the proper permits, and within a proper framework," he said.

According to the Atomium’s management, the two base-jumpers appear to have entered the building during opening hours and concealed themselves inside until nightfall before making the jump.

“We’re still wondering exactly how they did it. But these people apparently hid inside the structure, waiting for nightfall,” Coomans de Brachene said.

“We know the Atomium is a complex building. There are doors all over the place, so it’s clearly possible to hide there.”

No injuries were reported, but officials described the act as reckless and potentially dangerous both for the jumpers and for the integrity of the monument itself.

In response, the Atomium will carry out a comprehensive security audit aimed at preventing similar incidents in the future.

Coomans de Brachene added: “We will conduct a thorough security audit to ensure that this kind of situation doesn’t happen again. The Atomium is a building that we must protect to the maximum extent possible.”

The landmark, one of Brussels most recognisable tourist attractions attracting more than 850,000 visitors a year, is expected to implement stricter security measures following the audit.

Authorities have not yet confirmed whether the base-jumpers have been identified, but the legal complaint is intended to deter similar actions in the future.