Skydiver, 28, Dies After Hitting Lorry On Motorway

A skydiver has died after hitting a lorry on a motorway in the US.

The unnamed 28-year-old Colombian woman was jumping from the Skydive Lodi Parachute Center on Thursday when she hit a lorry on Highway 99 near Acampo, the California Highway Patrol Valley Division (CHPVD) said.

The CHPVD said the woman hit the rear of the lorry before falling on the road. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Eyewitnesses reported that strong winds blew the woman away from the landing zone.

Lisa Reyes, who witnessed the woman's struggle while driving on the highway, told KCRA: "The way the person was struggling, just struggling against the wind and their body was just moving really, really fast."

Local Gary Slaughter said he regularly saw skydivers struggle against strong winds in the area.

According to CBS Sacramento, Mr Slaughter said shortly after the accident: "It's blowing pretty good, they probably got out of control and didn't know if they could make the turn at the last minute and the wind caught them."

KRCA

Between 1999 and 2018, there have been 16 deaths involving people jumping from planes that took off from the Skydive Lodi Parachute Center, according to the New York Post.

Bill Dawes, who owns the center, said it was 'a little bit gusty' but 'well within the limits of her experience'.

According to CNN, he said: "We've jumped in winds much higher than that. Everybody else on the load landed in the right place. For whatever reason she just went too far downwind, is the expression we use."

The center released a statement about the woman's death on Friday, in which it extended its prayers to the victim's family.

KRCA

The statement read: "We are heartbroken at the recent tragedy of an experienced jumper and member of our community. It is a sorrowful time, and we are all grieving.

"As experienced jumpers, we accept the risks inherent in the sport and do everything possible to minimise these risks.

"Unfortunately, at this time we cannot comment any further out of respect for the jumper and the jumper's family. Our prayers go out to the family."

Topics: US News

Jake Massey

Jake Massey is a journalist at LADbible. He graduated from Newcastle University, where he learnt a bit about media and a lot about living without heating. After spending a few years in Australia and New Zealand, Jake secured a role at an obscure radio station in Norwich, inadvertently becoming a real-life Alan Partridge in the process. From there, Jake became a reporter at the Eastern Daily Press. Jake enjoys playing football, listening to music and writing about himself in the third person.

@jakesmassey