Skydivers killed after parachutes get tangled

Brian Laithwaite, 65, and Emma Bramley, 31, were parachuting at Langar Airfield in Nottinghamshire last Friday when the accident happened.

They were using separate parachutes which became tangled, causing them to plummet to the ground as onlookers watched in horror.

Mr Laithwaite, from Wigan, and Ms Bramley, from Nottingham, were both described as experienced parachutists by police.

Nottinghamshire Police have launched an investigation but a spokesman said the deaths were not being treated as suspicious.

Ms Bramley and Mr Laithwaite were part of a 14-strong group who had set off at 3pm in a Cessna plane.

They had flown to 13,500ft before Ms Bramley and Mr Laithwaite jumped out in a six-man group to perform a number of formations above the ground.

The plan was to split off at between 2,800ft and 3,500ft so each jumper could deploy their parachute safely in space.

It was then that Ms Bramley, who was married, deployed her main parachute and it became tangled with Mr Laithwaite's body. He remained above her, with his own canopy fully open as they fell towards the ground, at what is thought to have been a survivable speed.

Onlookers hoped both would only suffer injuries, but at about 100ft they seemed to accelerate through the air and both were killed on landing.

Dave Hickling, managing director of British Parachute Schools at the airfield, said it was impossible for them to disentangle the parachute and deploy their reserves safely.

"Emma was underneath and was spinning round. Brian wasn't spinning. They continued until about 100ft above the ground when Brian's parachute, for a reason unknown to me, seemed to change its attitude and accelerate towards the ground.

"I thought it possible that they would suffer bad injuries. It has been known for two people to land on one parachute and both survive.

"I am devastated by it, devastated. But it's what sky-divers do. It's like riding a racing bike, or skiing down a black slope. Anything that causes death or injury is unjust but it is not totally unexpected because you know there is a likelihood of it happening."