Two people died skydiving after a tandem jump accident in Devon, England, on Friday, June 13. The most unfortunate part is that the boyfriend of one of the victims, 48-year-old Belinda Taylor, had purchased her skydiving trip as a thank-you gift.
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Both Taylor and 30-year-old Adam Harrison passed away, the woman leaving behind four beloved children. The authorities pronounced both skydivers dead at the scene, according to this Devon & Cornwall Police statement.
Boyfriend Distraught After Buying Skydiving Trip For Girlfriend Who Died In Accident
Emergency services were notified about the accident at Dunkeswell Aerodrome around 1 PM. Taylor hailed from Totnes, while Harrison was from Bournemouth. “Enquiries remain ongoing by police, British Skydiving and East Devon District Council Environmental Health and Safety Office,” it wrote.
DevonLive spoke with Connor Bowles, Taylor’s eldest son, about his mother’s death. “She was a mother of four children, three adult boys and one teenage girl, and a grandmother to two young children,” he said.
The woman’s partner, Scott Armstrong, revealed to The Mirror how he purchased this skydive for his “adrenaline junkie” girlfriend as a thank-you present. “Belina was my absolute world,” said Armstrong. “She was so kind and giving and would do anything for anyone.”
The gift of gratitude was for how welcoming Taylor was to Armstrong’s nine-year-old son. “My nine-year-old son recently came to live with us and she welcomed him with open arms and was brilliant. As a thank you present I decided to buy her the tandem skydive. She was absolutely buzzing about it.”
At first, he planned to buy her a 7,000ft jump, but at the last minute, she asked for the 15,000ft one. “I was using binoculars and saw them all jump and noticed that one chute hadn’t opened,” said Armstrong. ” I was freaking out. They disappeared from view. I jumped in my car with my lad and raced across the fields.”
Armstrong then described the “horrific sight” of witnessing his partner and the instructor on the ground. “I found Belinda and the instructor lying there, still together, both clearly dead. It was a horrific sight. I miss her so much. I’m so lost without her. She meant the world to all of us and we’ll never forget her.”
Skydiving Company Releases Statement After Two Deaths
Skydive Buzz shared a statement on Facebook about the tragic accident. “We are heartbroken to confirm that an incident occurred on Friday, resulting in the tragic loss of two lives,” it said.
“Our deepest condolences go out to the families, friends, and everyone affected by this devastating event.” It revealed that they contacted the authorities immediately and initiated the “appropriate investigation protocols.”
“A British Skydiving Board of Inquiry will now investigate the accident,” it continued. “Once complete, a report – including conclusions and any recommendations – will be submitted to the coroner, the police, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the British Skydiving Safety & Training Committee (STC), and other relevant bodies.”
The skydiving business reiterated that safety has always been its top priority. “We are fully cooperating with the investigation and continue to uphold the highest possible standards in everything we do.” It also asked for privacy for all those affected, including its own team.