Two Skydivers Die After Midair Collision Entangles Parachutes in California

Two licensed and experienced skydivers died on Friday following a midair collision during an organized event at Skydive Elsinore in Southern California.

The victims were identified as Georgia Jean of Box Elder, South Dakota, and Levi Pimentel of Aurora, Illinois. The accident occurred shortly before noon when the two jumpers collided at approximately 150 feet above the ground while preparing for landing. Skydive Elsinore stated that the freefall portion of the jump and the deployment of both parachutes occurred normally without any mechanical failures or irregularities.

The collision caused their parachutes to become entangled, leading both women to plummet to the ground. Emergency personnel from the Riverside County Fire Department responded to the scene and rushed both victims to a hospital with severe traumatic injuries, where they were pronounced dead. Local authorities and the Federal Aviation Administration opened investigations into the incident, with officials set to retrieve and examine the jumpers equipment.

Archival records showed that Jean had completed over 1,700 skydiving jumps and previously faced initial training difficulties, while Pimentel worked as a lead instructor at an indoor skydiving facility in Illinois.