An experienced skydiving instructor has died and a 14-year-old boy is in critical condition after a freak gust of wind caused their parachute to close 20 metres above the ground during a tandem jump near Goulburn Airport in New South Wales.
The accident occurred just before 2pm on Saturday when the pair, part of a group of four participating in tandem skydives, suddenly dropped from the sky after the parachute canopy failed. The 44-year-old instructor, who had worked at the Adrenaline Skydive centre for eight years and completed about 5,000 jumps, died instantly.
The teenager, who was strapped to the instructor's chest and had not previously known him, was airlifted to Royal Randwick Hospital in critical condition. Emergency services, including a helicopter, were called to the scene near Goulburn Airport.
Yaakov Bokay, the skydiving centre's lead instructor, described his colleague as a 'very tough block' and a good person and friend. The cause of the accident is believed to be a sudden gale that forced the parachute to close at low altitude.
