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Tag: collision

  • Skydivers Collision Kills Two Men

    Skydivers Collision Kills Two Men

    As if Skydiving doesn’t seem dangerous enough, add a group of over 200 people in the air at one time. Two experienced jumpers collided on Tuesday in mid-air around 200 feet above ground with their parachutes open. Their parachutes collapsed and then they plummeted to the ground. One died on scene, the other was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead.

    Later the victims were identified as Keiron O’Rourke, 40, of the United Kingdom, and Bernd Schmehl, 51, of German. Schmehl had 1,797 total career jumps and O’Rourke had 849.

    Apparently, a third jumper suffered injuries on Tuesday and was airlifted to a Phoenix hospital, but his accident was unrelated.

    The scene in Eloy, Arizona,between Phoenix and Tucson, is a popular skydiving area in the desert that averages over 135,000 jumps per year.

    Eloy Police Department and the Federal Aviation Administration are conducting an investigation to determine what caused the two men to collide. (Just a guess, but gravity?)

    Images (via) Skydive Arizona

  • Skydiver Planes Collide; Everyone Jumps to Safety

    It was supposed to be an exciting weekend until everything went terrifyingly wrong in a split second for two planes, each full of excited skydivers. CNN reports that those two planes endured a mid-air collision, but everyone on both planes safely landed on the ground. Miraculously, only two passengers were injured in the crash!

    The crash took place last weekend above Superior, Wisconsin near the Minnesota border. The two planes were flying close together as the divers were going to jump in formation, but the lead plane (carrying four plus the pilot) crashed into the trailing plane (carrying five plus the pilot).

    Skydive Superior instructor Mike Robinson, speaking with reporters, said “It’s definitely a reminder of the danger of the sport that we all love.”

    A Battalion Chief with the Superior Fire Department, Vern Johnson, told CNN that the lead plane’s pilot reported a loud bang before seeing the windshield shatter. Video footage appears to show the plane breaking up and catching fire in mid-air.

    The moment nearly killed everyone on the plane. Fortunately, Robinson says, “Everybody got out safely. The pilot got out safely, used his emergency parachute and landed… In the trail plane, all five jumpers got out of the airplane safely and landed safely.”

    Chief Johnson said the lead plane’s pilot “was visibly bloodied about his face and shirt and had one hand wrapped in a garment, but was otherwise lucid, alert and oriented.” The trailing plane’s pilot managed to regain control of the damaged vehicle, and flew it safely onto the runway. He picked up the lead pilot as he taxied.

    A statement on Skydive Superior’s Facebook page said “The jumpers and pilots have been through a very surreal experience, and they are lucky and thankful to be alive.”

    This news clip features terrifying video from the helmet cams of the skydivers:

    If you’re still interested, here’s a small set of interviews with some of the skydivers and pilots:

    [Image via Wikimedia Commons]

  • Philippine Ship Collision Causes Fatalities

    Maritime tragedy has left many in the Philippines heart-broken when a cargo ship, M/V Sulpicio Express 7, and a passenger ship, St. Thomas Aquinas, collided with each other in the province of Cebu. Unfortunately, the official death toll count is now at thirty-eight. Between the two ships, a total of 870 individuals were aboard including both passengers and crew where there are still 82 people missing.

    Indo Asian News Service released the following statement on behalf of the chief of the Philippine Coast Guard Station in the Cebu province, Winiel Azcuna, “Rescue operation which suspended Saturday due to strong winds and high waves, resumed Sunday morning. However, the oil spill has hampered rescue because it affects visibility, skin of the divers… The death toll is now 38.”

    The loss of human lives is horrific; however, the tragedy has increasingly devastating outcomes on many additional levels. As a result of the collision, 31,700 gallons of bunker oil, 5,283 gallons of lube oil, and 5,283 gallons of diesel have been released into the ocean. Fumes from the oil pose risks for those involved in the rescue efforts.

    The Governor of Cebu, Hilario Davide III, shared with the Phillippine Star, “Hopefully more missing can be found alive.”

    Divers, members from the Navy and Coast Guard, and helicopters have all been released as part of the rescue efforts. The commander of the Philippine Coast Guard, Commodore William Melad, expressed his concern regarding the health risks for divers searching through the ship wreckage.

    If anything positive can be reported from this incident, it relates to the exhaustive methods of authorities regarding continual efforts to search for the missing passengers. Lieutenant Commander Gregory Fabic of the Navy shared, “It is possible that there are air pockets in its compartments and there might be survivors. There is still hope that there might just be survivors there.”