THE PEAK, HONG KONG: Remi Lucidi, a French daredevil, who died after falling from the 68th-story of a 721ft high skyscraper, did not suffer an accidental slip, his close friend has claimed. The 30-year-old Lucidi, known as 'Remi Enigma' on social media, fell to his death on Thursday, July 27 when he was attempting to climb the Tregunter Tower, a residential block, in Hong Kong's upscale Mid-Levels area.
Hong Kong authorities reported that Lucidi arrived at the structure at about 6 pm and informed the security guards that he was going to see his friend on the 40th floor. The security officials then cross-checked with the alleged friend, who denied knowing the thrill-seeker. Officials immediately attempted to detain the daredevil but by then he had already secured an elevator. Later, a security camera captured Lucidi exiting an elevator on the 49th floor before taking the stairs to the very top on level 68. The door to the rooftop was locked but Lucidi forced it open to take pictures from the roof.
Was Remi Lucidi killed?
The security guards who pursued Lucidi said they discovered the roof hatch open but the stuntman was nowhere to be located. He was last seen alive at 7:30 pm when he knocked on the penthouse complex's window, which then prompted a maid in the apartment to call the police. An unidentified source told South China Morning Post that authorities believed Lucidi was stranded outside the penthouse and had been hammering on the glass for assistance before the horrific accident. At the scene, police also found Lucidi’s camera, which featured recordings of his previous life-defying antics. While all evidence indicated that Lucidi's death was an accident, his friend told the Mirror that he does not believe that the stuntman slipped.
"When you reach a certain level of skill you don't just slip and fall. It's not possible," Fellow urban climber 'Dakamaru', who did not wish to reveal his real identity, told the outlet. He claimed that Lucidi was trapped outside the window and most likely could not move from that position. "Remi was stuck outside of a window. It must have been a place that he could not maneuver out of. He must have spent enough time there to get tired and not be able to keep to it any longer," he asserted. He continued by noting that "The witness claimed he’d been out on the window knocking. Probably on a thin edge outside. Not much space to move. Probably no way to sit, turn, crouch or change position in any way. And no matter how physically fit you are, in such conditions, you’re bound to get tired eventually."
‘Remi is like family to me’
Dakamaru claimed that just days before the accident, he spoke to Lucidi, whom he met on Instagram in 2020. He said they talked about how excited his friend was to climb the buildings in Hong Kong and that he had taken some ''beautiful'' photos. "We’ve maintained constant contact. Remi is like family to me. I was hoping to see him many times again. I was planning a trip to France to go climb together. We were also planning to go climb the Great Pyramid together. And now he’s gone and all I’ll have from him will be photos, videos, and beautiful memories,” the climber noted.
Previously, Dakamaru paid Lucidi a moving tribute by sharing a slew of their pictures together on Instagram, with a caption that said, ''Steel towers are very much like friendships - we build them strong and tall. They may wobble occasionally, or seldom get visited by the builders, but with proper care and maintenance they'll resist the wind, snow, and scorching sun, and might as well last for eternity.'' He said in another post, "Goodbye, my friend, goodbye. I hope you know how much I'll miss you and how empty it is without you. Just wait for me in the next life. We will climb everything! R.I.P Remi Enigma, a mighty roof topping god…"
