Airman dies after fall during military tribute at Alamodome

An Air Force member died after falling during a rappelling demonstration at the Alamodome on Saturday before a football game between Navy and the University of Texas at San Antonio, according to ABC7 Los Angeles.

More than 23,000 people attended the game, which was preceded by a ceremony honoring service members and military veterans. UTSA said it was activating wellbeing services and urged students who witnessed the fall to contact its crisis hotline.

Witnesses said the airman was among three service members descending by rope from the stadium ceiling, ABC7 Los Angeles reported. The ceiling was described as about 170 feet above the ground; that figure was not a confirmed distance of the airman's fall.

Firefighters responded to the Alamodome around 7 p.m. local time. The airman was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries, according to the report.

A spokesperson for Nellis Air Force Base confirmed that the airman died at the hospital. His name had not been released. He was stationed at the Nevada base and assigned to the 6th Combat Training Squadron, Detachment 2.

Adrian Corey, a witness who attended the game, recorded the incident on his cellphone. He told KSAT that he and other spectators noticed something was wrong as the airman descended rapidly, according to ABC7 Los Angeles.

The report did not state what caused the fall. UTSA said its wellbeing services would support faculty, staff and students affected by the incident.