American rock climber climbs Taipei skyscraper without ropes

American rock climber Alex Honnold climbed the Taipei 101 skyscraper on Sunday without any ropes or protective equipment. Cheers erupted from a gathered crowd as he started climbing the 508-metre (1,667-foot) tower earlier Sunday, using the horizontal metal beams to pull himself up with his bare hands.

The onlookers cheered again when he paused at one point and turned around to face them, in a red short-sleeve shirt that stood out as he made the climb. Honnold’s free solo climb of the iconic building in Taiwan’s capital city was being broadcast live on Netflix with a 10-second delay. The ascent, originally scheduled for Saturday, was delayed for 24 hours due to rain.

The climb drew both excitement and concern over the ethical implications of attempting such a high-risk endeavour on live broadcast. Rock climber Alex Honnold of the US raising his fist as he climbs on top of the Taipei 101 skyscraper in Taipei, Taiwan, Sunday.