Like all extreme sports, parachute jumping involves several types of risks. Various emergency situations may arise during the flight, the jump and the landing.

Each year, about 35 people die in skydiving accidents from the approximately 2.5 million jumps that take place. That means one death for every 75,000 jumps. 10% of the deaths that occur in skydiving take place by “do not throw” or throw at low altitude or pull with little determination. 75% of these cases are due to miscalculation or distraction, perhaps because they are practicing a new flight technique.

During the flight, while you are still on the plane preparing to jump, high-risk situations usually caused by aircraft failure may happen. If the plane is flying above 305 meters, you will probably receive instructions to make an emergency jump. One of the most dangerous situations that can arise during the flight is that the parachute opens on the plane. This can kill the parachutist, destroy the structure of the plane and probably kill the rest of the crew.

It is important to verify the proper functioning of your equipment before making skydiving, since the malfunction of your parachute can cause it not to deploy properly, or worse, that you go in free fall and your parachute does not open. The exact procedure to be followed varies according to the area of fall, but generally the main parachute is released and the reserve parachute is opened.

Even if your equipment is in perfect working order and you have taken all precautions, you must be alert to the dangers within the landing area since accidents can always happen.

As happened last Saturday in Oaxaca, an accident that shook the tranquility of that tourist destination, when some tourists practiced in that town and both fell to the sand. As a result of the impact, a 47-year-old woman died. After rushing to the ground, the emergency services of Puerto Escondido moved her urgently to the Ángel del Mar medical center, where she died minutes later. The other injured parachutist was transferred to the same hospital where he received immediate attention. He is interned with several wounds of magnitude, but out of danger.
The company that rents the parachutes did not have life insurance to cover any accidents of their clients, even the company has those who decide to contract their services sign a document whereby they disclaim all responsibility to the firm for any accident that may occur. This happens with many companies, unfortunately.

It is important that in addition to maintaining your equipment properly, always stay alert to any unforeseen situation. The best way to handle these situations is to anticipate them and take evasive measures when you still have a lot of time and you are at a great height. The response to landing emergencies often depends on the common sense and skydiving experience of the parachutist.