A TEAM of 16 international parachutists successfully completed the first mass jump from the Chinese mainland's highest building, the Jinmao Tower, on October 5.

It was the country's first BASE (Building, Antenna, Span Earth) parachute jumping event and was organized by the Shanghai Sports Bureau and the China Jinmao Group Co Ltd.

At 3:10pm, the first jumper, Terje Halvorsen from Norway leapt from the 420.8-metre-high tower right on schedule.

After several seconds of free-fall, he opened his parachute. His jump was applauded by thousands of spectators in the streets below the tower and by thousands more across the Huangpu River on the Bund. The crowds had been gathering for hours before the jumps began.

Halvorsen's leap was followed by 15 sports parachutists from the US, Norway, Mexico, Holland and Sweden who jumped off in solo or double jumps carrying their national flags and the national flag of China.