A woman in her 30s has tragically died following a skydiving accident in County Durham.
Emergency services rushed to the scene at Shotton Colliery, near Peterlee, at around 10:17am on Sunday, April 27. Despite their efforts, the woman was pronounced dead at the scene.
Durham Constabulary confirmed the incident and said her death is not being treated as suspicious.
Emergency Response
A spokesperson for the North East Ambulance Service said:
“We were called to an incident at Shotton Colliery in County Durham on Sunday 27 April at 10.17.
We dispatched one ambulance crew and one specialist paramedic to the scene.”
Third Fatal Skydiving Accident Linked to Peterlee Area
This heartbreaking incident marks the third fatal skydiving tragedy associated with the Peterlee area since 2016.
- In April 2024, Sam Cornwell, aged 46, died when his parachute failed to deploy during a jump at the South West Industrial Estate. He was working as a videographer for Sky-High Skydiving Peterlee at the time.
- In September 2016, Pamela Gower, 49, from Hebburn, lost her life during a charity skydive at Peterlee Parachute Centre. An inquest heard Pamela struggled to deploy her parachute due to extreme G-forces after entering a high-speed spin.
Both incidents have placed renewed focus on safety measures at skydiving facilities in the region.
Ongoing Investigation
Police are currently working alongside local agencies to investigate the circumstances surrounding the accident. Further details about the woman’s identity and the precise cause of the incident have yet to be officially confirmed.
Authorities have appealed for any witnesses or individuals with relevant information to come forward.
Public Safety Reminder
While skydiving remains a popular extreme sport, officials continue to stress the importance of rigorous safety checks, equipment maintenance, and comprehensive training to prevent further tragedies.
