Heights are thrilling for some and nauseating for others, and now one man is receiving a ton of online attention after scaling one of Vancouver’s tallest cranes and posting a daring video online.
YouTube user Kea.iu has joined the list of daredevils scaling architecture in the Lower Mainland, after posting a video last month “catching the sunrise” at the top of a crane above the condo tower Vancouver House.
“Had a few near death experiences while climbing but I made it out safe,” he wrote on the YouTube video.
According to Kea.iu, it wasn’t his first attempt climbing the crane.
“A few months back I climbed this crane, but I never got to the top because it was too slippery from all the rain and wind,” he wrote. “I made it my goal to scale it again but to the very top, and that is what I did.”
Viewers have had mixed reviews on his thrill seeking.
“I’ve overcome many fears but heights I just can’t….I get butterflies just by watching this video,” said one user,
“Sick craneclimb! From the top of the crane you see the street/building grid from a completely new perspective,” said another.
Others are telling him to stay safe.
This also isn’t the first structure for the man to climb in the Lower Mainland – Kea.iu also climbed the 650-foot-tall Solo District building, under construction in Burnaby.
And he certainly isn’t the first, nor will be the last.
In July 2017, two American men were arrested after climbing the Lions Gate Bridge to capture a photo from the top towers. In a quick search on YouTube, it’s easy to find a handful of other videos showcasing climbers exploring new heights on Vancouver structures – some receiving as many as 55,000 views.
Although Vancouver Police said they couldn’t confirm if there is an investigation into this particular incident, Const. Jason Doucette said climbing high structures – known to police as “rooftopping” – is often criminal and poses risks not only to the climber but to first responders and the public.
“If one of these people slips and falls, a first responder has to put their safety at risk to rescue the rooftopper,” he said. “We encourage anyone who feels they are witnessing a criminal offence to contact their local police immediately”
@ashwadhwani
ashley.wadhwani@bpdigital.ca
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