Sky dive at Our local harbour film festival nearly went tragically wrong

[retroHelen]

We were at our Town's Movie, Memorabilia Fair and Continental Market at the Harbour Saturday evening and there was also an air show organised. My husband had viewed the "Back to the Future DeLorean" and had his mouth round a large burger and was looking for the Batmobile.

 

Then the air-show started.First there were vintage aircraft doing aerobatics - a Spitfire and a Hurricaine from the 1940's. Then the Red Arrows jets doing patterns in the sky with their coloured 'tail smoke'. Then the Red Devils sky-divers who like the other teams have been for decades doing air displays at town and country shows. 

 

We didn't expect them to make a near fatal error in their sky dive that evening, which goes to show that it is a risky thing it is to do. 2 sky-divers got tangled and one parachute became useless and the other sky diver, with the only remaining open chute had to keep hold of his colleague with his legs and carry him down, while his colleague had to talk him through where to head for as either his legs or the bad chute was blocking his view of where to go. 

 

They were meant to land in our harbour and the Life guards dinghy was meant to pick them up anyway, but when 1000's of people saw them get tangled in the air everyone gasped with horror and later gave an audible sigh of relief when the 2 men were picked up OK from the water. They headed off to our Wetherspoons Pub for a pie and a pint afterward!

 

Little did we know how the whole incident would get put out all round the World! The TV footage was from someone's private cell phone footage. The interview was with our local town's event organiser/ wine shop owner Mr Gerard Richardson and Luke Johnston who is a 16 year old who designs one of our town's tourist websites:  

 

http://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/-red-devils--paratroopers-collide-after-parachute-collapse-468908099982

 

   NCB reporter mistakenly says 'East coast' when Cumbria and the Lake District are on the West Coast facing Ireland and The Isle of Man.

Edited June 22, 2015 by retroHelen

[LeslieDean]

It seems like there is an aircraft accident or a skydiver involved at almost every airshow.  I guess it is because they are the only ones I here about, but still...

 

I guess I am just not the adventuresome type.  Parasailing was enough for me!  Could never even conceive of bungee jumping off a bridge or cliff!

[Trina]

Wow! It takes talent and knowledge to be able to recover something like that. Thanks for sharing sister Leslie!

[LeslieDean]

It was Helen that shared, I am happy I wasn't there to see it.  I would still be shaking in my heels.

[Trina]

Oh so sorry! Thank you sister Helen for sharing!!! I agree with you sister Leslie I would be biting nails the entire time!

[hatcheckgirl]

Yes, I saw that on our news here in Australia.  The way those two skydivers were chatting in the interview, so nonchalent, shows the British stiff-upper-lip is still alive and well.  Still, no matter how many hours of training, I know I would have been far less composed, and in need of a change of clothing.... :blushing: