An Air Force commando plunged dozens of feet in front of tens of thousands of stunned football fans Saturday while rappelling from the rafters before a University of Texas-San Antonio game.
The unidentified airman struck the field at San Antonio’s Alamodome during a pregame military demonstration held for the “Salute to Armed Forces and Veterans” game against Navy.
Video posted to social media shows the service member losing control and sliding down the rope during a fast-rope exhibition involving four military personnel. Screams could be heard from the crowd as he fell.
Medical personnel rushed onto the field and treated the airman for roughly 10 minutes. UTSA staff members formed a semicircle around him before he was placed on a stretcher and removed from the field, the San Antonio Express-News reported.
The airman was transported to a local hospital in critical condition. His status was not immediately known Sunday.
“Everybody was quiet, the band stopped performing. Everybody was dead silent,” witness Adrian Corey told KSAT.
The Post has contacted the Air Force and the San Antonio Police Department for comment.
The demonstration had been planned as part of the pregame coin toss, but the accident delayed the start of the game by about 10 minutes.
The four service members involved in the demonstration were from Detachment 2 of the Air Force’s 6th Combat Training Squadron at Nevada’s Nellis Air Force Base.
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The unit trains air combat controllers and teaches rappelling techniques used to descend from helicopters at heights of more than 100 feet.
The UTSA Roadrunners have played at the Alamodome, which is owned by the City of San Antonio, since the program’s inaugural season in 2011. The stadium’s ceiling stands approximately 170 feet high.
A total of 23,297 fans attended Saturday’s game at the Alamodome.
UTSA officials said they were concerned both for the injured airman and for spectators who witnessed the fall.
“We are deeply saddened by the incident that occurred at the start of tonight’s football game. Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with the soldier who was affected, his family and his military colleagues,” a university spokesperson told the outlet.
“We recognize that members of our campus community may be emotionally affected by this incident and are activating wellbeing services to support our faculty, staff and students.”
The American Conference, which organizes the game, said it was also working with local authorities.
“The American Conference is deeply saddened by tonight’s pregame incident at the Alamodome. Our thoughts are with the individual involved, their family and colleagues, and everyone who witnessed or was affected by it,” a spokesperson said in a statement posted on X.
“We consulted with representatives of both participating member institutions, Alamodome management, local authorities and a working group to review the information available.”
“We respect the family’s privacy and will coordinate any further updates with the appropriate authorities. We are also working with our member institutions to help connect those affected with available support resources,” the statement added.