Instructor cushioned blow Man dies in tandem skydiving incident another critical
A tandem skydiving session has turned fatal with two men crash-landing in a paddock on Victoria’s Great Ocean Road.
Emergency services were called to Fischer Street in Torquay just before 1pm on Friday but paramedics were unable to save a skydiving instructor in his mid-30s who died at the scene.
Another man in his 50s was rushed to hospital in a critical condition.
Victoria Police said the instructor had attempted to cushion the landing for the other man and asked emergency service workers if he could stand up during the 20 minutes paramedics were treating him.
The owner of the skydiving company that organised the jump said the parachute malfunctioned, resulting in a heavy landing.
Australian Skydive owner Ralph Hamilton-Presgrave said he’s unsure what exactly went wrong.
“[The instructor] is a very experienced jumper, capable of doing everything he had to do. What transpired, I don’t know,†Mr Hamilton Presgrave said.
“It’s not a malfunctioning of the suit, the actual parachute malfunctioned.â€
“The tandem jump went well. They did their free-fall and the main parachute hasn’t opened correctly. They’ve elected to use their second parachute. They ran into difficulties and landed very hard.â€
“The instructor has taken the brunt of the fall, the landing, and put himself in jeopardy to try and minimise the passenger’s injuries.â€
An injured man is loaded onto an air ambulance on Friday afternoon.Credit:Nine News
Australian Skydive refused to comment on the identity of the deceased until the family had been notified.
Victoria Police said the instructor asked emergency service workers if he could stand up while paramedics were treating him.
“He wanted to get up, but we were keeping him down on the ground,†Torquay Sergeant Peter Christo said.
“The ambulance was working on the [instructor] for approximately 20 minutes but unfortunately he took a downward turn and died.â€
A man in his 50s is transported to the Alfred hospital with a broken leg and in a critical conditionCredit:Nine News
Police also said the instructor desperately tried to open the parachute whilst the pair were plummeting.
“The parachute failed to open… the instructor made emergency attempts but unfortunately couldn’t open the chute,†Sergeant Christo said.
“The instructor cushioned the blow for the client.â€
A man in his 50s is now fighting for life after being airlifted to The Alfred hospital in a critical condition and with a broken leg.
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority and the Australian Parachute Federation will work together to investigate the incident.
Police will prepare a report for the coroner.
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Abbir Dib is a breaking reporter at The Age
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