A skydiving instructor in Nashville has died after seemingly jumping from an aeroplane without his parachute attached.
Metro Nashville Police Department confirmed details relating to the tragic incident, revealing that the instructor in question had become separated from a tandem rig with a student skydiver. Such a rig connects a novice to a more experienced jumper, with the jumper having control of the parachute and the responsibility for the jump itself.
Yet the unidentified instructor in question fell without being attached to the harness. Their student, miraculously, survived the fall, ultimately being rescued from a tree by emergency services.
“Fire Dept rescuers have just brought down a skydiver who was lodged in a tree with an open parachute in the woods in the 4500 block of Ashland City Highway,” the Metro Nashville Police Department said in a statement released on X.
“He will be ok. This skydiver became separated at the plane from a tandem rig with an instructor. The instructor is presumed to have fallen from the sky without a parachute. He has not been located.
“Three other skydivers who jumped moments earlier landed safely. The plane landed safely at Tune Airport.”
A later update confirmed that police had found the body of the 35-year-old instructor.
They wrote: “An MNPD helicopter crew has found the 35-year-old instructor, deceased, in the clearing of a wooded area off Ashland City Highway.”
“The FAA will be investigating this skydiving incident.”
Photos of the stranded student were uploaded to social media by the Nashville Fire Department on X. They depict the rescue operation, which saw firefighters use ladders to reach the summit of the trees.
The Fire Department said in a statement: “NFD rescuer safely reached the parachute jumper, freed him from the harness & assisted him down the ladder using a pulley system.
“Patient is awake, alert & in stable condition after being suspended for hours. Patient will be transported to the hospital as a precaution.”
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