A 34-year-old man has died in an accident near Victoria’s Great Ocean Road.
The man was one of 12 paratroopers who left Torquay Airport by Australian Skydive around 10:25 p.m.
Both its main parachute and the reserve did not open.
He died at the scene, just off Breamlea Road in Connewarre, just five minutes later.
A skydiving session has become fatal after a 34-year-old man died today near Victoria’s Great Ocean Road. (new)
Victoria police officer Fletcher Pearson said he was being trained with another man, who also landed in a paddock near him.
The second paratrooper was not injured.
“He’s known the other parachutist he was diving with for over ten years,” Pearson said
APF chief executive Richard McCooey said the man was making his first leap in a “wing suit”.
It is a special piece that allows the user to glide through the air at a slower pace instead of falling free.
He said it was too early to know what happened.
APF chief executive Richard McCooey said the man was making his first leap in a “wing suit”. (new)
“We understood that the man had successfully completed 300 jumps and was making his first jump with a wing suit, under the supervision of an experienced tutor,” he said.
“At this stage we know very little beyond that, although it seems that the man was unable to deploy any of his parachutes.
“This is a horrible situation and our thoughts are with the man’s family and friends.”
McCooey said there was a security and training officer from the Australian Parachute Federation and he would begin an investigation.
Police will prepare a report for the coroner.
The other person survived.