Rochelle skydiving accident leads to Illinois skydiver, 40, dying, second thrill seeker surviving with minor injuries after colliding in mid air freak accident. The thrill seekers had set out with Chicagoland Skydiving Center, Wednesday night.
A 40 year old Illinois skydiver has died while a second survived with minor injuries after the two exhilarant sports enthusiasts collided in a mid air collision in what Ogle County authorities described as a ‘freak’ parachuting accident.
The 40-year-old, who has not been named, described as a male, collided with another thrill seeker (also described as a male) in mid-air after setting out from the Chicagoland Skydiving Center on Wednesday evening. The incident left one of the divers dead and the other with minor injuries, CBS Chicago reported.
Both skydivers’ reserve parachutes were deployed in the crash, but one of them was unable to gain control and crash landed in a parking lot.
Officers with the Ogle County Sheriff’s Office arrived on the scene shortly after the crash, circa 7 p.m in the area of 8887 S Illinois Route 251, following reports of an ‘uncontrolled descent’ in Rochelle, Illinois.
Deputies say they quickly located a man in the parking lot of the sky diving facility he had taken off from moments earlier, suffering significant injuries.
He was transported to Rochelle Community Hospital by the Rochelle Fire Department, where he was later pronounced deceased. His name is being withheld until the family can be informed, according to the sheriff’s department.
The other skydiver involved in the incident was found at Koritz Field–Rochelle Municipal Airport, and was also transported to Rochelle Community Hospital with minor injuries.
A preliminary investigation indicates the two skydivers collided mid-air, resulting in canopy collapses for both individuals. While reserve parachutes were deployed, the sheriff’s office said, one man was sent into an uncontrolled free fall.
The 40 year old skydiver had made more than 2,900 skydives, WLS-TV reported.
Local authorities have launched an investigation into the incident and Chicagoland Skydiving Center said it is working with the sheriff’s office, CBS News reported, noting that at the time of the accident, the skydiving center claimed there were clear skies with 5 to 8 mph winds.
The incident remains under investigation by the sheriff’s office in coordination with federal authorities.
The incident marks the second fatal skydiving accident in Illinois this week.
On Monday, 48-year-old Dr Noel Liu, a dentist, died after a jump at Skydive Chicago in Ottawa.
The coroner and La Salle County Sheriff’s office are continuing to review and investigate Monday’s incident. According to a news release, the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are assisting, CBS News reported.
The skydiving deaths come ahead of ‘World Skydiving Day,’ with local events set to take place Saturday at both Skydive Chicago in Ottawa, and Chicagoland Skydiving at Kortiz Field in Rochelle.
