IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser.

Parachutist Saved in Mid-Air as Chute Fails to Open at Airshow

A military parachutist was saved in mid-air by a fellow soldier after his chute failed to open in front of spectators at a British airshow Friday.
Get more newsLiveon

A military parachutist was saved in mid-air by a fellow soldier after his chute failed to open in front of thousands of spectators at a British airshow Friday.

The drama was caught on camera by onlookers as the British Army’s Red Devil display team performed at the Whitehaven Air Show in Cumbria, northern England.

One of the men grabbed his teammate's parachute ropes and helped guide him safely into a nearby dock. Both were unharmed.

“We knew something wasn’t quite right, that’s when the other guy started intertwining himself around the guy whose parachute hadn’t opened,” eyewitness Liam Benson told the BBC. “All eyes were on what was unfolding right in front of us. They were kicking their legs violently, clearly in distress.”

The British Army, which confirmed the incident, said an investigation had begun into what went wrong.

It was the first time in 25 years a Red Devil parachute had failed, air show organizers said.