1 skydiver dies, another is injured after they collide over Wildomar
A 30-year-old parachutist died this morning after colliding in midair with another skydiver and falling to earth in Wildomar, said Capt. Fernando Herrera of the Riverside County Fire Department. The other parachutist, 42, suffered minor injuries.
Fire personnel were dispatched about 11:35 a.m. to Cereal Street near Lake Elsinore's Skylark Field, Herrera said. The area is a popular skydiving location, and "we do have skydivers injured constantly, although fatalities are rare," Herrera said.
Witnesses said the two parachutists were diving separately but collided in midair, got entangled and "went down," according to Herrera. The divers were apparently from Europe, he added.
Ian Gregor, a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration, said the agency would investigate.
-- Martha Groves
EDITOR'S PICKS:
I have never understood why someone jumps out of a perfectly good airplane.
Posted by: Duane | September 18, 2009 at 08:41 PM
Because it's the most amazing, life-changing experience you can have with your clothes on. You should try it sometime.
Posted by: Lynne | September 19, 2009 at 11:27 PM
Right, and kill myself like this person did? I dont think so Lynne.
Posted by: Right, and kill myself? | September 28, 2009 at 09:26 PM
I just had another awesome skydive a few days ago. What happened in this story is called a "canopy collision." Such things are avoidable with good safety precautions. For one example, don't jump when there's thick, low-lying clouds because you lose visibility and can collide with another jumper.
Posted by: Jonathan Rice | October 06, 2009 at 12:43 PM