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Taxicab driver in Baumgartner video said it was an act

The taxi driver who featured in Tuesday's footage of Felix Baumgartner's jump from Taipei 101 told reporters he did not drive the Austrian skydiver to Taoyuan International Airport as the footage suggested.

Baumgartner entered Taiwan on a tourist visa on Dec. 6 to scout the area before deciding to do the jump on Tuesday.

Baumgartner was quoted as telling the Austrian press agency: "On Tuesday there was no wind -- so I got my helpers together and told them -- now or never."

Baumgartner's aides videotaped the adventure, which showed him getting past security guards and leaping from Taipei 101's observation deck and landing on top of a parking lot nearby. An electronic clock on a billboard in the background showed the time was "16:17."

The footage then showed Baumgartner, clutching a parachute, climb into a waiting taxi and head for the airport. He was on a flight to Hong Kong two hours later.

The taxi driver, who enjoyed a brief brush with fame after his car registration plate was caught in the video showing Baumgartner getting into a cab after performing the leap, was hunted down by the press on Thursday.

STAGED

The driver, surnamed Chen (陳), told reporters that part of the video was staged. Chen said his taxi was hailed by two women and four men at the intersection of Zhongxiao E Road and Yanji Street in central Taipei around 11am on Tuesday.

One of the women, a Taiwan-ese, told him they were making a film and wanted to pay him to participate.

A foreigner in the group -- a male actor -- then ran toward the car carrying some equipment on his back, opened the right-hand rear door and threw himself into the car -- repeating the scene fives times, Chen said.

Chen said there were four men with video cameras inside and around the car shooting the scene from different angles.

They also shot a second scene showing the taxi turning a street corner at high speed, Chen said.

The whole episode was over in 30 minutes, he said.

Chen said the group left in a van after paying him, adding that he never took Baumgartner anywhere.

The National Immigration Agency said on Thursday that Baumgartner was barred from entering Taiwan again.

Additional reporting by staff writer
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