Suspected BASE Jumpers Climbed The Tower Early Sunday

Three men wearing large backpacks were seen climbing the Eiffel Tower in Paris Sunday morning, prompting the popular tourist attraction to be shut down for several hours.

The sighting led to a terror alert. Anti-terror police assisted by a helicopter searched the tower and the surrounding area, but the men were not located. The U.K. newspaper The Mirror reports that authorities determined that the men were likely BASE jumpers, who climbed the tower and jumped before they could be apprehended.

Paris police said the men were spotted at about 5:30 a.m. local time. Hundreds of people had lined up to ascend the tower at 9:00, but the ticket office remained closed and the people were moved away from the area.

But no sign of the men was found on the tower, which led to the speculation that they were BASE jumpers who had leaped from the tower. Police are said to be "scouring Paris" for the men.

The attraction reopened about 2:00 p.m. local time.

A BASE jumper was fatally injured in a leap from the 1,050-foot tall tower in 2005, according to the paper. It has frequently been mentioned as a possible terrorist target.

(Image from file)

FMI: www.toureiffel.paris/en.html