Wisconsin Skydivers Miraculously Survive Mid-Air Crash [Video]
A group of skydivers in Superior, Wisconsin miraculously escape alive after a mid-air collision in which one of the planes explodes in a ball of fire.
Footage from a video, captured with one of the skydiver’s helmet cam, shows the terrifying ordeal that left the group separated, instead of diving in an organized formation.
In the footage, obtained by NBC News one of the planes appears to fly right on top of another, forcing skydivers from both planes to jump while avoiding burning debris, Anne Thompson reports.
Miraculously all the 11 skydivers were spared with their lives, even though it looked like all was lost.
The group, made of nine skydivers and two pilots, is seen getting ready to jump from the lead plane when the second plane hits them at 12,000 feet.
The second plane that carried the Wisconsin skydivers, burst into a fireball and pieces of debris were seen hitting the lead plane as the group tried to hold on for dear life.
Three skydivers are seem free falling towards the ground, while two were left inside the aircraft and were able to jump with their parachutes, the pilot ejected.
“Looking around, we’re seeing the wing that came off. We’re seeing it’s on fire, and there are just parts of the airplane floating in the air with us,” skydiving instructor Mike Robinson explains in the video.
“We were falling faster than those parts (…) So the concern was we get away from the crash area.”
As the fiery pieces are falling all around them, the Wisconsin skydivers are seen scrambling to avoid those pieces.
In the end, all the skydivers that were practicing their stunt together, made it our alive, thanks in part to their training.
Robinson said anytime there is a mid-air collision it’s very dangerous and the likelihood of someone dying is great, even with trained individuals.
The pilot of the second plane was able to land the plane safely, despite having a damaged propeller and wing.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating the incident, which occurred as the group was getting ready to do their last jump of the day.
New video footage has emerged of the moment two planes carrying nine skydivers collided mid-air http://t.co/4fCWji3KdX
— Metro (@MetroUK) November 5, 2013
These Wisconsin skydivers are very lucky to be alive today. The pilot of the plane that crashed suffered minor injuries and some of the divers on that aircraft only had bumps and bruises to speak of the ordeal.
