California skydiver, 28, dies after she collides with a semi-trailer truck and rolls onto a busy highway – as it’s revealed parachuting company has had SIXTEEN fatalities since 1999 and had its premises raided by the FBI
- A Colombian national, 28, died during a botched skydiving expedition in Northern California on Friday
- Strong winds reportedly pushed the woman off course, before she collided with a big rig on a busy highway
- The woman undertook the extreme sports activity with Skydive Lodi Parachute Center, according to KCRA 3
- Sixteen people have died after jumping from the company’s airplanes between 1999 and 2018, the news site reports
- FBI agents raided Skydive Lodi Parachute Center’s premises last year
A female skydiver has died in California after hitting a semi-trailer truck before crashing onto a highway.
The incident occurred on Thursday afternoon in Lodi, around 90 miles east of San Francisco, when the woman set off on a group parachuting expedition.
Authorities have not publicly named the victim, but report that she is a 28-year-old Colombian national.
Witnesses say strong winds carried the woman away from the safe landing zone after she jumped from the plane around 2 pm.
She was pushed towards the highway, which was teeming with traffic, before she collided with the big rig.
The woman then rolled onto the shoulder of the south-bound lane of the freeway. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
A female skydiver has died in California after hitting a semi-trailer truck before crashing onto a busy highway (pictured)
The big rig that the skydiver crashed into is pictured parked on the side of the road
Several people who were driving on the opposite side of the highway say they are ‘traumatized’ by what they saw.
‘The way the person was struggling, just struggling against the wind and their body was just moving really, really fast. That’s what really kind of got (to) him,’ one of the witnesses daughters told KCRA 3.
The California Highway Patrol revealed late Thursday that the victim was one of seven people who took part in the extreme sports activity with Skydive Lodi Parachute Center.
The company has come under scrutiny in recent years after a number of skydivers have died while undertaking jumps with them.
Skydive Lodi Parachute Center has come under scrutiny in recent years after a number of skydivers have died while undertaking jumps with the company
Sixteen people have died after jumping from the company’s airplanes between 1999 and 2018, according to KCRA 3.
In August 2016, 18-year-old Tyler Turner died during his first ever tandem skydive when his instructor’s parachute failed to open.
A subsequent investigation uncovered that the instructor – who also died in the accident – did not have a proper license.
In the wake of that scandal, several instructors were suspended and 140 others were ordered to get additional training.
FBI agents even raided the facility last year, confiscating records and video footage, according to reports.
CBS claims that the Federal Aviation Authority has previously recommended fines close to $1 million because of safety failures and accidents that have occurred at Skydive Lodi Parachute Center.
Representatives from the parachute center have declined to comment on the latest tragedy.
Despite the popularity of skydiving in the United States, fatalities are quite rare.
Just 13 skydivers died while undertaking the activity last year, according to the FAA.
16 people have died after jumping from the Skydive Lodi Parachue Center airplanes between 1999 and 2018, according to KCRA 3 (stock image)