Divers plunge from Lebanon's famous Pigeon Rocks in Beirut – in pictures

The final of the Red Bull cliff diving event takes place in Raouche on Sunday night

Jessica Macaulay of the UK dives from the 20-metre cliff in Raouche during the first competition day of the fifth stop of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series. Getty Images

Yana Nestsiarava of Belarus dives from the 20m cliff in Raouche during the first competition day of the fifth stop of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series. Getty Images

Matthias Appenzeller of Switzerland dives from a 10m training platform during the first competition day of the fifth stop of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series. Getty Images

Miguel Garcia of Colombia is transported across to the dive location on a zip-line in Raouche during the first competition day of the fifth stop of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series. Getty Images

Steven LoBue of the USA dives from the 25m cliff in Raouche during the first competition day of the fifth stop of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series. Getty Images

Nathan Jimerson of the USA dives from the 25m cliff in Raouche during the first competition day of the fifth stop of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series. Getty Images

Nathan Jimerson of the USA dives from the 25m cliff in Raouche during the first competition day of the fifth stop of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series. Getty Images

Jonathan Paredes of Mexico dives from the 25m cliff in Raouche during the first training session of the fifth stop of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series. Getty Images

Andy Jones of the USA dives from the 25m cliff in Raouche during the first competition day of the fifth stop of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series. Getty Images

This weekend, 24 men and women leapt from Beirut's most renowned natural landmark: the Pigeon Rocks in Raouche, on the southern part of the city's corniche.

The divers are in Lebanon for the first round of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series 2019, and come from 18 different countries. They plunged at speeds of up to 85 kilometres per hour from heights of up to 27 metres, straight into the ocean below.

The athletes were zip-lined from the mainland to the diving location for the preliminary dives, and the finals take place today, Sunday July 14, from 5.30pm Lebanon time.

This is the first time the diving series, which travels around the globe, is taking place in Lebanon. The famous limestone rocks grow 40 metres out of the sea, but the divers will jump from a maximum height of 27 metres.