Photo:Getty Images
Getty Images
A 73-year-old experienced skydiver died during a skydiving incident after he encountered issues while deploying his parachute.
The Eloy Police Department in Arizona said in a statement onsocial mediathat Terry Gardner, 73, along with three friends had gone skydiving with Skydive Arizona on Jan. 31. The four had embarked on their third jump of the day and had been “unable to complete” their formation jump at 14,000 feet thus proceeding to land.
Police added that they did not believe the incomplete formation “contributed to the accident,” and that the three other skydivers were able to land safely. However, Gardner encountered “unexpected complications” while trying to deploy his parachute, thus resulting in him “hard landing without a fully deployed parachute."
“Our thoughts and condolences are with all those who knew and loved Terry Gardner during this challenging time,” the Eloy Police Department said in their statement.
The Eloy Police Department and Skydive Arizona did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
A spokesperson for Skydive Arizona said in a statement toThe Arizona RepublicandInside Edition, that eyewitnesses reported “that the free fall portion of the skydive was uneventful and went as planned," but when they saw Gardner deploy his parachute at “predetermined altitude,” they noticed that there “was a problem involving the main (primary) parachute.”
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Curtis said, “He died doing what he loved and pursuing his passions and his dreams.”
source: people.com
