Skydiver survives 8,000-foot fall

US: In a miraculous escape, a seasoned California skydiver survived an 8,000-foot fall with minor injuries and bruises after his parachutes failed and he landed on a patch of soft soil at a vineyard.

Craig Stapleton, 51, who is a 25-year veteran skydiver with over 7,000 jumps under his belt was attempting a complex stunt after jumping from about 8,000 feet when both of his parachutes failed and he went into a three-minute spin, hitting the ground at 48 kmph but survived with minor injuries.

Stapleton, jumped from a plane on March 10 above the vineyards in Lodi, California, with his friend Katie Hanson.

The two were attempting what Stapleton calls a “down plane flag,” a flag-release stunt in which their parachutes land on the ground with a flag landing straight up on a lanyard.

The duo started their stunt and at 5,800 feet, about 40 seconds from their exit from the plane Stapleton realised something was wrong with his chute as he was going 145 kmph.

DECCAN HERALD