Latest news with #BritishSkydiving
New York Post
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Experienced skydiver thought to have leapt to her death was dumped by boyfriend the night before
The experienced UK skydiver thought to have deliberately jumped to her death last month had been dumped by her boyfriend the night before, according to a new report. Jade Damarell — who had more than 400 successful jumps — was killed instantly during her last skydive on April 27th as she crashed into a farmer's field in County Durham in northeast England. Damarell, 32, was dumped by fellow skydiver Ben Goodfellow, 26, just a day before the fatal jump, the Daily Mail reported. 3 An experienced skydiver who fell to her death in the UK last month in 'a deliberate act taken to end her own life' had split from her boyfriend just a day before the tragedy. Jade Damarell / Facebook 'The two of them were inseparable,' an anonymous friend told the Daily Mail of the pair, who dated for around eight months. 'They spent all their time together, they didn't really engage with anyone else. They did skydives together all the time.' 'The night before Jade died, Ben called off the relationship,' the friend added. 'He went to work the next day, and that's when Jade fell to her death,' the friend said. The couple had lived together in a double room at a property rented out to parachutists near the airfield for several months, according to the outlet. 3 Fellow skydiver Ben Goodfellow called off his relationship with Damarell were in a six-to-eight-month relationship and had lived together. Facebook / Ben Goodfellow Goodfellow was also a technician at Nissan and the lead guitarist and vocalist for indie band Post Rome, which cancelled a gig shortly after Damarell's death due to 'unseen circumstances,' the outlet said. Police said Damarell's death is 'not being treated as suspicious' — and the company she jumped with said that 'all indications from the police and British Skydiving are that this was a deliberate act taken to end her own life.' A friend previously told the Daily Mail that 'everyone is devastated and deeply traumatized' by the 32-year-old's death because 'she was very much part of the skydiving community.' 3 The company she jumped with said that 'all indications from the police and British Skydiving are that this was a deliberate act taken to end her own life.' Instagram / Jade Damarell 'She was mad for the sport,' the unidentified friend said. 'In just the two days before she died, she did 11 jumps. She must have done 80 this year.' At least one person witnessed Damarell jump to her death, according to the outlet. The local police department, the Durham Constabulary, said: 'Her death is not being treated as suspicious and a file will now be prepared for the coroner.' If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 988 or go to
Daily Mail
02-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Jade Damarell is THIRD skydiver to die in 10 years at the same airfield after one plummeted onto factory roof and another couldn't deploy her parachute
The death of a 32-year-old skydiver who died instantly when she hit the ground during a jump at the weekend is the third such fatality in ten years at the same airfield. Jade Damarell, 32, a highly experienced skydiver who had safely accomplished more than 400 previous jumps, is feared to have deliberately sabotaged her jump and taken her own life. Ms Damarell, a married marketing manager, lost her life on Sunday morning while parachuting with Sky High Skydiving which is based at Shotton Airfield, a former colliery pit in Peterlee, County Durham. Police and emergency services were called to nearby Wreford's Farm, where she landed, but she was pronounced dead at the scene. SkyHigh Skydiving issued a statement saying that her death is suspected to have been 'a deliberate act'. A spokesman said: 'It is with great sadness that we confirm a tragic incident took place on 28 April 2025 involving a valued member of our community. 'All indications from the police and British Skydiving are that this was a deliberate act taken to end her own life. 'This heartbreaking news has deeply affected all who knew her, and our thoughts are with her family and friends as they face this unimaginable loss.' Jade Damarell, 32, a highly experienced skydiver who had safely accomplished more than 400 previous jumps, is feared to have deliberately sabotaged her jump and taken her own life Ms Damarell (pictured), a married marketing manager, lost her life on Sunday morning while parachuting with Sky High Skydiving which is based at Shotton Airfield, a former colliery pit in Peterlee, County Durham SkyHigh Skydiving was hit by a similar tragedy last year when videographer Sam Cornwell plunged to his death after his parachute malfunctioned and failed to open properly. Mr Cornwell, 46, had taken off from Shotton Airfield but fell and landed on a factory roof at the South West Industrial Estate in Peterlee. He was pronounced dead at the scene on April 28, 2024. An inquest into his death, at Crook Civic Centre, heard how he had been filming another skydiver when his main canopy opened but became twisted, rendering it useless, and the reserve shoot failed to deploy properly in time. CCTV footage caught the moment he struck the roof while images from Mr Cornwell's helmet-mounted GoPro camera were also viewed. Nine years ago, Pamela Gower plummeted 14,000 feet to her death after she was unable to deploy her parachute because she was aggressively spinning in the wind. Ms Gower, 49, from Tyneside who had dwarfism died in a skydive because she was too short to carry out a move which could have saved her life, an inquest later found. She was spinning so hard she was exposed to greater G-force than a fighter pilot as she fell to the ground and was unable to arch her back - which could have helped her regain control- due to her stature. Ms Gower was an experienced sky diver, and had been taking part in a charity jump at Peterlee Parachute Centre - also based at Shotton Airfield - on September 10, 2016 when she died. Nine years ago, Pamela Gower plummeted 14,000 feet to her death after she was unable to deploy her parachute because she was aggressively spinning in the wind SkyHigh Skydiving was hit by a similar tragedy last year when videographer Sam Cornwell (above) plunged to his death after his parachute malfunctioned and failed to open properly It was reported that Ms Damarell, a keen skydiver who had jumped around 80 times this year, deliberately failed to open her parachute as she plunged at speeds of more than 120mph. An inquest will now be opened to establish the circumstances surrounding Jade's death and answer questions surrounding her final moments. According to one friend, she jumped a staggering 11 times in the 48 hours leading up to her death. A friend of Ms Damarell said: 'This wasn't a skydiving accident - we believe she intended to take her life, sadly. 'She skydived with someone else, broke off and turned onto her back and impacted. 'She chose not to open her parachute and she landed on her back.' Police and emergency services were called to nearby Wreford's Farm, where she landed, but she was pronounced dead at the scene. One person is believed to have witnessed the horror.
The Sun
01-05-2025
- General
- The Sun
‘Highly-experienced' skydiver, 32, who died after jumping from 10,000ft ‘left suicide note' before she leapt from plane
A PARACHUTIST who died after jumping from 10,000ft is thought to have left a suicide note, according to locals. Jade Damarell, 32, who had successfully completed more than 400 jumps, died instantly when she hit the ground without her chute opening. 3 3 3 As friends and colleagues paid tribute to the 'beautiful' marketing manager, her skydiving club said it appeared to be 'a deliberate act'. Nearby farm worker Nigel Wreford, 56, added: 'I've been told by quite a few people that she knew what she was doing — she had apparently left a suicide note.' A traumatised parachutist who jumped with Jade on her fatal fall last Sunday ran to Mr Wreford's house close to Sky-High Skydiving near Peterlee, Co Durham. Mr Wreford added: 'My wife was here when it happened and spoke to a parachutist who was coming out of the field. "You can't imagine how traumatic it must have been. "She said he was in a hell of a state. He was very incoherent. It's horrible. I can't stop thinking about the girl and her family.' Jade studied marketing at university in Leeds before marrying solicitor James Damarell in 2019. They lived in Yorkshire but were thought to have separated. At the end of last year she moved into rented digs used by enthusiasts from the Peterlee centre. A friend of Jade's said: 'This wasn't an accident. We believe she intended to take her life, sadly. Moment skydiver plunges to her death after BOTH main & reserve parachutes fail "She chose not to open her parachute and she landed on her back.' The skydiving club added in a statement: 'It is with great sadness that we confirm a tragic incident took place involving a valued member of our community. 'All indications from the police and British Skydiving are that this was a deliberate act taken to end her own life.' Jade had previously persuaded her mum to complete a jump at the Peterlee centre, despite her fear of heights. Liz Samuel, of Caerphilly, South Wales, posted pictures online and wrote: 'Such a bucket-list moment. 'Firstly watching my beautiful daughter Jade free-fly solo right before me, like a ninja. You're Not Alone EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide It doesn't discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers. It's the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes. And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women. Yet it's rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now. That is why The Sun launched the You're Not Alone campaign. The aim is that by sharing practical advice, raising awareness and breaking down the barriers people face when talking about their mental health, we can all do our bit to help save lives. Let's all vow to ask for help when we need it, and listen out for others… You're Not Alone. If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support: CALM, 0800 585 858 Heads Together, HUMEN Mind, 0300 123 3393 Papyrus, 0800 068 41 41 Samaritans, 116 123 'Just wow . . . over a minute in freefall from 15,500ft, at around 120mph. Considering my fear of heights I still can't quite believe I did it! "This experience makes me even more proud of Jade's amazing free-fly skills.' It is the third fatal incident at the base in recent years. Last April videographer Sam Cornwell, 46, of Hampshire, landed on a roof at a nearby industrial estate after failing to complete a safe landing. Pamela Gower, 49, from Hebburn, South Tyneside, also died during a charity skydive there in 2016. Tributes poured in for Jade, with Chris Brown posting a snap of them in a plane together. He said: 'Forever in my heart.' Danni Willis, who worked at the centre, added: 'Such a beautiful girl inside and out.' Durham Police said Jade was pronounced dead at the scene last Sunday morning. It was not being treated as suspicious and a file will now be prepared for the coroner. Governing body British Skydiving said it would investigate to help the coroner.
New York Post
01-05-2025
- New York Post
Experienced skydiver appears to have jumped to her death on purpose
An experienced skydiver who fell to her death in the UK appears to have jumped in 'a deliberate act taken to end her own life,' according to the company that took her up. Married marketing manager Jade Damarell, 32 — who had more than 400 successful jumps — was killed instantly during her latest skydive Sunday as she crashed into a farmer's field in County Durham in northeast England, Metro reported. Police said it is 'not being treated as suspicious' — and the company she jumped with said that 'all indications from the police and British Skydiving are that this was a deliberate act taken to end her own life.' 3 Jade Damarell, 32, died skydiving on Sunday morning. Jade Damarell / Facebook 'This heartbreaking news has deeply affected all who knew her, and our thoughts are with her family and friends as they face this unimaginable loss,' added the company, SkyHigh Skydiving. 'We urge anyone in crisis to speak to someone or reach out to a mental health professional.' 3 Damarell had clocked more than 400 jumps before her death. Jade Damarell / Facebook A friend told the Daily Mail that 'everyone is devastated and deeply traumatised' by the 32-year-old's death because 'she was very much part of the skydiving community.' 'She was mad for the sport,' the unidentified friend said. 'In just the two days before she died, she did 11 jumps. She must have done 80 this year.' At least one person witnessed Damarell jump to her death, according to the outlet. Wrefords' Farm's, where Damarell died, confirmed that a woman 'tragically' lost her life in a skydiving accident Sunday in an online post. 3 The Skydiving company said it appears Damarell, left, jumped to her death in a 'deliberate act' Liz Samuel / Facebook On Wednesday, the farm planted a new cherry tree 'as a memorial to the young lady who tragically lost her life in the parachute incident' and invited locals to come and place flowers at the farm gates. The local police department, the Durham Constabulary, said: 'Her death is not being treated as suspicious and a file will now be prepared for the coroner.' If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 988 or go to
Daily Mirror
01-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
Doomed skydiver's mysterious final days from flurry of jumps to 'deliberate act'
Jade Damarell, 32, died instantly when she hit the ground at a farm during a jump in County Durham, but mystery surrounds her cause of death and the circumstances leading up to it... For thrill-seeking Jade Damarell, jumping out of a plane at 10,000ft was nothing new. With 400 dives under her belt, family and friends no doubt thought little of it when the 32-year-old marketing manager took to the skies last Sunday morning, never for one minute imagining that it would be the dive that killed her. Tragically, Jade plummeted to the earth in horrifying scenes believed to have been witnessed by one other person at Shotton Colliery in County Durham. Emergency services raced to Wreford Farm but she was pronounced dead at the scene. She leaves behind her husband James, who she married in 2019, and her mum Liz Samuel. At first, most assumed it was a jump gone wrong - perhaps a parachute that failed to open or strings that got tied. Indeed, an initial report appeared to confirm as much. But in an unexpected turn, the group she was diving with, SkyHigh Skydiving, shared a statement indicating that Jade's death could have been as a result of "a deliberate act." "It is with great sadness that we confirm a tragic incident took place on 28 April 2025 involving a valued member of our community," a spokesperson for the group said, according to MailOnline. "All indications from the police and British Skydiving are that this was a deliberate act taken to end her own life. "This heartbreaking news has deeply affected all who knew her, and our thoughts are with her family and friends as they face this unimaginable loss. At this incredibly difficult time, we ask for privacy and compassion for those grieving." SkyHigh Skydiving continued: "If you are struggling or in emotional distress, please know that you are not alone. Support is available. We urge anyone in crisis to speak to someone or reach out to a mental health professional. Even in the darkest moments, there is help and hope." On the face of it, Jade had everything to live for. Her mum's Facebook page proudly recorded the highlight's of her daughter's live, including images of Jade and husband James beaming with joy on their wedding day six years ago. Other images showed her enjoying family hikes with the dog, and in one post, mum Liz revealed she'd completed her first skydive with her daughter. In an August 26, 2024 Facebook post, she said: "This weekend I did something I never thought I could, or would, do… a sky-dive! Such a bucket list moment. Firstly watching my beautiful daughter Jade free-fly solo right before me, like a ninja. Then, amazed at the reassurance and confidence Jade and my fabulous tandem instructor Lewis (aka Biscuit) and cameraman Blake gave me, off we flew. "Just wow… over a minute in freefall from 15,500 feet, at around 120 MPH, with the air temp -15 and breath-taking wind at this altitude. Considering my fear of heights I still can't quite believe I did it! My favourite part was actually being under canopy, I absolutely loved it but this experience makes me even more proud of Jade's amazing free-fly skills now and it was incredible to watch her nail her landing below us and be there to greet me back on solid ground." An inquest will now be opened to establish the circumstances surrounding Jade's death and answer questions surrounding her final moments.. According to one friend, she jumped a staggering 11 times in the 48 hours leading up to her death. "Everyone is devastated and deeply traumatised by what happened because she was very much part of the skydiving community," the friend told MailOnline. "She was mad for the sport. In just the two days before she died, she did 11 jumps. She must have done 80 this year." Photos on her publicly accessible Facebook page show her during skydiving jumps that were uploaded in January and last year. Meanwhile, police have ruled out any suspicious circumstances around her death. "A woman sadly died following a skydiving incident near Peterlee," A Durham Constabulary spokesperson said. "Police officers and colleagues from the ambulance service were called to the incident in Shotton Colliery at around 10:30am on Sunday. "Sadly, a woman in her 30s was pronounced dead at the scene. Her death is not being treated as suspicious and a file will now be prepared for the coroner." Wreford Farm said in a statement shared on Facebook: "Tragically, last Sunday 27/4/25 a woman lost her life after a parachute incident/accident, please join us in saying a prayer for her and her family, we ask the Lord to accept her into the kingdom of heaven and strength to her family. We ask for our own and farms privacy for this deeply upsetting matter to be respected. God bless." The incident is the third skydiving death in the area since 2016. Two other skydivers died after they hit the ground in 2016 and 2024. The SkyHigh Skydiving Peterlee company was hit with a previous horrific tragedy when a videographer harrowingly plunged to his death on April 28, 2024. Sam Cornwell, 46, died after his parachute malfunctioned and failed to open during his fall. Sam, from Hampshire, landed on a roof at South West Industrial Estate near Peterlee and was sadly pronounced dead at the scene. An inquest, at Crook Civic Centre, found his main canopy had opened but was twisted, rendering it useless, and the reserve shoot failed to deploy properly in time. He had been filming another skydiver when he died and shocking CCTV footage caught the moment he struck the roof. Jan Bostock, a senior environmental health officer with Durham County Council, who had watched the footage taken on Mr Cornwell's helmet-mounted camera said: "We have got the imagery of the person he is being paid to take the video of. They appear to shoot off, when it is actually their descent that is slowing." Another skydiver crashed onto a parked car in a housing estate following a jump from Peterlee Parachute Centre in 2016. Pamela Gower, 49, from Hebburn, South Tyneside, died after she was unable to deploy her parachute because she was aggressively spinning in the wind. Pamela, who had dwarfism, died because she was too short to carry out a move that would have saved her life, an inquest heard. The 49-year-old was spinning so hard she was exposed to greater G-force than a fighter pilot as she plummeted to the ground. The experienced skydiver was unable to arch her back which could have helped her regain control during the fall. Senior Coroner Andrew Tweddle said: "So what we have is exceptional circumstances affecting a diver who is partially trained and because of her unique stature that made it difficult for her to recover through the arching technique. It is a combination of things all going wrong at the same time that led to the fatal outcome of this situation." Instructor Michelle Meakins told the inquest Pamela had wind tunnel training, designed to help her cope in a spin but the speed with which she fell had prevented her saving herself as she lost consciousness.
