Two skydivers die in 'tragic accident' at Devon airfield
Two skydivers have died at an airfield in Devon.
Emergency services were called to the area of Dunkeswell Aerodrome at around 1pm on Friday 13 June.
Two people were confirmed dead at the scene, and their families have been informed.
"Scene guards remain in place at the airfield and inquiries are ongoing by the relevant agencies," a spokesperson for Devon and Cornwall Police told Sky News, urging anyone who may have information that could help to come forward.
The Civil Aviation Authority said it was aware of the incident, but could not comment further.
The Air Accident Investigation Branch said the incident would be the matter for British Skydiving, which has not responded to a request for comment.
But in a statement sent to its members, and seen by DevonLive, chief executive Robert Gibson confirmed it had been "notified of a tragic accident in which two jumpers lost their lives".
"Our deepest condolences go to their families, friends and the entire skydiving community," it said.
A British Skydiving board of inquiry will investigate the accident, it added.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
29 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Person intervenes while police officer is attacked
A person who intervened during an assault on a police officer has been thanked for their assistance. Torquay Police said on Facebook a patrol officer was attacked by a man outside the town's station on Saturday morning. The team said a member of the public came to help the officer and helped stop the assault before further back-up arrived. The post added a man was arrested on suspicion of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm and the officer received medical attention at the scene. "We want to publicly thank the member of the public for their help, everyone involved in this incident are very grateful," the Facebook post said. Police said the arrested man remained in custody at Torquay Police Station. More news stories for Devon Listen to the latest news for Devon Follow BBC Devon on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@ Devon and Cornwall Police
Yahoo
33 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Starmer focused on grooming victims not ‘grandstanding', says Reeves
Sir Keir Starmer has been focused on the 'victims' of grooming gangs and not 'grandstanding', Rachel Reeves has suggested, after the Prime Minister committed to a national inquiry. The Chancellor said that Sir Keir has been looking at 'actually doing the practical things to ensure that something like this never happens again'. After initially resisting pressure to implement a full probe, the Prime Minister said he had read 'every single word' of an independent report into child sexual exploitation by Baroness Louise Casey and would accept her recommendation for the investigation. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is set to address Parliament on Monday about the findings of the review. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage described the move as a 'welcome U-turn', while Kemi Badenoch called on him to apologise for 'six wasted months'. Asked whether the Prime Minister had changed his mind about the idea of a national inquiry, the Chancellor told the Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme: 'I think Keir Starmer, our Prime Minister, has always been really focused, as he was when he was director of public prosecutions, on the victims and not grandstanding. 'But actually doing the practical things to ensure that something like this never happens again, but also to ensure that the victims of this horrific abuse over many, many years is got to grips with and that people have answers to their questions.' Earlier this year, the Government dismissed calls for a public inquiry, saying its focus was on putting in place the outstanding recommendations already made in a seven-year national inquiry by Professor Alexis Jay. Shadow chancellor Sir Mel Stride criticised the Government's 'very late' decision to launch the inquiry, and claimed it had only come after pressure from the Tories. Sir Mel told BBC One's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg: 'It's a very late decision – it should have happened far, far earlier. 'We've been calling for this for many, many months.' He accused Sir Keir of previously dismissing concerns from senior Tory figures. 'Kemi Badenoch, Chris Philp and others have been derided by the Prime Minister for hopping on some kind of far-right bandwagon, dog-whistle politics and the rest of it,' Sir Mel said. 'That was the wrong response. This is just another example of the Prime Minister being pressurised by us into U-turning.' The inquiry will be able to compel witnesses to give evidence, and it is understood that it will be national in scope, co-ordinating a series of targeted local investigations. Speaking to reporters travelling with him on his visit to Canada on Saturday, the Prime Minister said: 'I have never said we should not look again at any issue. 'I have wanted to be assured that on the question of any inquiry. 'That's why I asked Louise Casey who I hugely respect to do an audit. 'Her position when she started the audit was that there was not a real need for a national inquiry over and above what was going on. 'She has looked at the material she has looked at and she has come to the view that there should be a national inquiry on the basis of what she has seen. 'I have read every single word of her report and I am going to accept her recommendation. 'That is the right thing to do on the basis of what she has put in her audit.'
Yahoo
38 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Grooming gangs inquiry ‘must not delay action' against child abuse, says NSPCC
A child protection charity has welcomed Sir Keir Starmer's announcement that he will launch a statutory inquiry into the grooming gangs scandal – but warned this should not delay 'long overdue' action against child sexual abuse. The Prime Minister said on Saturday that he had read 'every single word' of an independent report into child sexual exploitation by Baroness Louise Casey and would accept her recommendation for the investigation. The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) said it is 'pleased' with the decision – but added that a full national probe 'must not delay' urgent Government action. 'We are pleased to see the Prime Minister engaging with the recommendations set out in the Casey Review and will also read it line by line when it is published,' NSPCC chief executive Chris Sherwood said. 'But a national inquiry into abuse by organised networks must not delay urgent action on child sexual abuse that is long overdue. 'Survivors have already waited more than two years for the important recommendations from the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) to be implemented,' Mr Sherwood added. The IICSA, chaired by Professor Alexis Jay, found institutional failings and tens of thousands of victims across England and Wales. The seven-year probe made 20 recommendations in the final report published in 2022, as it described child sexual abuse as an 'epidemic' across the two nations. Earlier this year, the Government dismissed calls for a public inquiry into the grooming gangs scandal, saying its focus was on putting in place the outstanding recommendations already made in the IICSA. Mr Sherwood said the Government now has the opportunity to make tackling child sexual abuse 'a non-negotiable priority'. 'Child sexual abuse and exploitation by groups of offenders is deeply insidious and devastates lives,' he said. 'Now is the moment for this Government to take concerted action by making child safeguarding a non-negotiable priority. 'This means joined up work to prevent child sexual abuse across all public, private, and voluntary sector agencies and mandatory training so all those working with children can identify the signs of abuse, step in and stop offenders in their tracks. 'Most of all it means supporting victims and survivors by investing in life-changing therapeutic and recovery services and ensuring the justice system can cope with the current backlog of child sexual abuse cases in court.' Following the Prime Minister's announcement on Saturday, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage described the move as a 'welcome U-turn', while Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch called on him to apologise for 'six wasted months'. 'Just like he dismissed concerns about the winter fuel payment and then had to U-turn, just like he needed the Supreme Court to tell him what a woman is, he had to be led by the nose to make the correct decision here,' she said. 'I've been repeatedly calling for a full national inquiry since January. It's about time he recognised he made a mistake and apologised for six wasted months.' Speaking to reporters on Saturday while on his visit to Canada, Sir Keir said: 'I have never said we should not look again at any issue. I have wanted to be assured that on the question of any inquiry. That's why I asked Louise Casey who I hugely respect to do an audit. 'Her position when she started the audit was that there was not a real need for a national inquiry over and above what was going on. 'She has looked at the material she has looked at and she has come to the view that there should be a national inquiry on the basis of what she has seen. 'I have read every single word of her report and I am going to accept her recommendation. 'That is the right thing to do on the basis of what she has put in her audit.'
