A British base jumper has died after his parachute failed to open on time as he was practising the extreme sport while on holiday with friends in the south of France.

       The 34-year-old man died from his injuries at Grenoble University Hospital after Tuesday’s accident, according to the Le Dauphine Libere newspaper.

       The local paper reported that he had been on holiday with three friends in Millau, Aveyron.

       On their way back from a day out on Tuesday, the group decided to stop by the village of Chatelus in Isere to jump off the Bournillon cliff in Bourne gorge.

       One of the man’s friends activated his distress beacon just before 7pm when they did not see his parachute open.

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       Rescuers searched for the man by helicopter and found him unconscious and in cardiorespiratory arrest.

       Two rescuers were winched as close as possible to the injured man as he dangled from his parachute, which was stuck to the cliffside, the newspaper reported.

       The man died at Grenoble teaching hospital

       (Getty)

       He was airlifted to hospital in a critical condition and died from his injuries.

       Police have launched an investigation to determine what caused the accident.

       Base jumping consists of jumping from fixed objects and freefalling before opening a parachute to coast to the ground.

       Additional reporting by Press Association