Former 'MythBusters' presenter Jessi Combs (39) dies in accident trying to break world speed record

Cape Town – Former MythBusters presenter Jessi Combs has died in a horrific accident.

The 39-year-old who was also a professional racer was killed in a jet car crash on Tuesday while attempting to break a land speed record, reports Buzzfeed.

Lt Brian Needham for the Harney County Sheriff's Office told the publication in a statement that they received a 911 call before 16:00 informing authorities that an accident involving jet car had taken place.

Jessi, who was trying to break her own 2013 record, was pronounced dead on the scene.

The cause of the crash is being investigated.

Jessi is best known for appearing on the seventh season of MythBusters in 2009 and other shows such as Spike TV's Xtreme 4 x 4, Overhaulin, Truck U and All Girls Garage.

"Jessi's most notable dream was to become the fastest woman on Earth, a dream she had been chasing since 2012. Combs was one of the rare dreamers with the bravery to turn those possibilities into reality, and she left this earth driving faster than any other woman in history," her family said to a statement in The Guardian.

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It may seem a little crazy to walk directly into the line of fire... those who are willing, are those who achieve great things. . . People say I’m crazy. I say thank you ;) . . . #fastestwomanonearth #almost #fasterthanfast #jetcar #afterburner #landpseed @landspeed763 #iwillgofaster #gottabreak512 #aimingfor619 #currentlyat483 #northamericaneagle #i??afterburners

A post shared by Jessi Combs (@thejessicombs) on Aug 24, 2019 at 2:22pm PDT

On Wednesday, her partner, Terry Madden, shared a montage on Instagram. Alongside the video, he wrote: "She was the most amazing spirit that I have ever or will ever know. Unfortunately, we lost her yesterday in a horrific accident, I was the first one there and trust me we did everything humanly possible to save her!"

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So I don’t know how to say any of this but it all needs said. I have never loved or been loved by anyone as much as this amazing woman @thejessicombs she was truly my unicorn and I enjoyed every single minute that I had with her. She was the most amazing spirit that I have ever or will ever know. Unfortunately we lost her yesterday in a horrific accident, I was the first one there and trust me we did everything humanly possible to save her!! I’m not ok, but she is right here keeping my going-I made her a promise that if this didn’t go well that I would make sure and do good with it, please help me with that, you are all going to see things on news please believe non of them.. we the family have drafted a release and it will come out today with more proper info, but I was just woke up by the media tracking me down and I need everyone of her true friends to do what she would want “take a deep breath, relax” and do good things with this. Please donate to nothing, I know there will be people try, we are finishing the documentary as she wished and the world will know the truth and her foundation will use those funds to do amazing things in this world and make her legacy live on properly. In the coming days her family and I will get the proper channels put together that you can then donate to that foundation but until you hear it from me wait please-I don’t want some asshole profiting off this (all ready had one try to sell us a video)... . . Love you all and thank you all for being such amazing friends to her, she dedicated her life to helping support others dreams and I promise I will continue that.

A post shared by Terry L. Madden (@terry_madden) on Aug 28, 2019 at 5:51am PDT

MythBusters host Adam Savage sent condolences to her family on Twitter.

My heart goes out to her family.

— Adam Savage (@donttrythis) August 28, 2019

Compiled by Leandra Engelbrecht. (Sources: Buzzfeed, The Guardian)