Two experienced skydivers died after colliding in midair during a jump in Southern California, causing their parachutes to become entangled as they prepared to land.
The collision happened Friday, Nov. 6, at Skydive Elsinore in Lake Elsinore, California, during an organized skydiving event. The two licensed skydivers were part of a group of 20 experienced female jumpers who had exited an aircraft at approximately 12,500 feet, Skydive Elsinore general manager and co-owner Josh Hall told the Orange County Register.
The free-fall portion of the jump was "normal and uneventful," and both skydivers deployed their parachutes as expected, the company said in a statement.
But as the pair prepared to land, they collided approximately 150 feet above the ground,
according to Skydive Elsinore. Their parachutes became entangled, and both sustained critical injuries when they struck the ground, the company said.
The two were taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital, where they were later pronounced dead, Riverside County Sheriff's Lt. Deirdre Vickers confirmed to USA TODAY.
What happened during the skydiving accident?
Riverside County sheriff's deputies responded around 11:47 a.m. Friday to the 20000 block of Cereal Street in Lake Elsinore following reports of an air emergency, Vickers said.
When deputies arrived, they found the two skydivers on the ground receiving medical attention.
Both had suffered major injuries and were transported by ambulance for further treatment, Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department said.
The Riverside County Sheriff's Office later identified the skydivers as Georgia Jean, 56, of South Dakota, and Levi Pimentel, 29, of Illinois.
What caused the skydivers to collide?
Investigators determined that the two skydivers collided in the air, causing their parachutes to become entangled before the plummeted to the ground, the sheriff's office said.
Skydive Elsinore said there was no indication of equipment malfunction. The company did not provide additional details about what led to the collision.
The Federal Aviation Administration was notified and will collect the skydivers' parachutes for further investigation, according to the sheriff's office.
The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities have not released additional details about the circumstances surrounding the collision.
Both skydivers were experienced, licensed jumpers visiting from out of town to participate in an organized skydiving event, the company said.
Skydive Elsinore said it is cooperating with authorities investigating the incident and extended its condolences to the victims' families, friends and loved ones.
Reporter Anthony Thompson can be reached at ajthompson@usatodayco.com or on X @athompsonUSAT.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2 skydivers die after parachutes become tangled in midair
