Ilies Nait El Cadi appears in Auckland court over base jumps, faces bail restrictions
The Belgian base jumper did not enter pleas to two burglary charges after a hotel rescue. He was released on bail with a curfew and restrictions on social media and parachute equipment.
Belgian base jumper Ilies Nait El Cadi appeared in Auckland District Court on 27 October 2026 over jumps from two central Auckland buildings, according to the NZ Herald. The 22-year-old faces two burglary charges and did not enter a plea, RNZ reported. He was released on bail under restrictions while the case continues.
The appearance follows the failed Hotel Indigo jump and rescue covered in NewsJaws’ earlier report on the Auckland hotel incident. The NZ Herald reported that the jump took place at about 11pm on 20 October. Nait El Cadi became caught on the side of the building, and responders broke a window to bring him to safety.
What happened at Auckland District Court
Judge Nicola Mathers remanded Nait El Cadi on bail after granting a two-day adjournment for mediation, RNZ reported. He must observe an overnight curfew, refrain from posting on social media and avoid possessing parachute equipment. He did not seek name suppression. The NZ Herald reported that Mathers ordered him to return to court on 2 November, when the matter was expected to be resolved.
Nait El Cadi’s court-appointed lawyer asked for an earlier hearing so he could go home, but the judge declined, according to the NZ Herald. Nait El Cadi told the Herald that his passport had been confiscated and that he was unsure how long he would have to stay in New Zealand. He declined to comment as he left court.
The hotel rescue and Seascape jump
RNZ reported that the charges relate to alleged jumps from the Albert Street hotel and the partially built Seascape skyscraper downtown. Police had earlier said the rescue, which involved smashing a large window, caused more than NZ$20,000 in damage, according to RNZ. That figure is a police claim, rather than a finding about the charges.
The NZ Herald identified Nait El Cadi from court documents as the person posting online as ‘ilies_nec’. It reported that he had also jumped from the 187-metre Seascape building. Court documents allege that jump happened in June, months before its video appeared online. After the Seascape video was posted, Nait El Cadi told the Herald he had chosen the building because it was under construction and easy to enter.
Nait El Cadi told the Herald he had initially planned only one jump in New Zealand. He said he had been due to leave the previous weekend but decided to attempt another before flying out. The Herald reported that he had apologised in interviews after the Hotel Indigo jump. He has not entered pleas to the burglary charges.
Read in depth: World
Saudi-led pact nations hold Tehran talks to stop war reigniting
Defence pact members Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan send top officials to Iran for first high-level contact since war spread to kingdom and Yemen.
India’s Supreme Court questions Rajasthan over Jojari river pollution and mining leases
At an October 26 hearing, the court challenged the state over mining leases in areas where illegal mining had been detected and sought a funded river restoration proposal.
Sources and context
- Daredevil urban parachutist appears in court after botched stuntNZ Herald (Craig Kapitan; NZME)
- Base jumper who got stuck on side of Auckland hotel appears in courtRNZ (Jessica Hopkins)
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.