Skydivers survive after parachutes malfunction

Two skydivers had lucky escapes yesterday after being rushed to hospital in separate incidents due to problems with their parachutes.

An 18-year-old man was airlifted to the Southern General Hospital in Glasgow when his parachute failed to deploy fully during a jump at Strathallan Airfield, near Auchterarder in Perthshire. He was left hurtling towards the ground at about 50mph when the chute only partially opened.

The Scottish Ambulance Service said a helicopter was sent at about 1:.20am. He was said to be suffering from suspected back, leg and neck injuries, but was conscious.

However, a spokesman for Skydive Strathallan said last night the teenager had been released from hospital.

He said: “His dad phoned earlier, and in his own words, he doesn’t have a scratch.”

About an hour later, at Errol Airfield, also in Perthshire, a 28-year-old woman was hurt when her parachute failed to open.

She was taken by road ambulance to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee. She is believed to have a broken ankle.

Paragon Skydiving Club, which is based at the airfield, declined to comment on the incident.