Navy Seal is Killed When His Chute Doesn’t Open [VIDEO]
It is Fleet Week in New York City and the Navy’s Leap Frogs were putting on a demonstration by the US Intrepid that sits on the Hudson River. A Navy Seal who was one of four skydivers could not get his parachute to open and he plunged into the Hudson River as his chute landed in a parking lot nearby.
Speculation is that when his chute did not open and the diver saw he was heading for the water, disengaged the chute to prevent it from causing him to drown. He was pulled out of the water almost immediately by crews standing by but he was pronounced dead a short time later.
Amateur video recorded by Aaron Moss showed a piece of the parachute coming down after the parachutist separated from his chute and landed in the water.
The skydiver, a member of the Navy SEALs commando unit that operates under the Naval Special Warfare Command, was pronounced dead at the Jersey City Medical Center, Rear Admiral Jack Scorby told a news conference outside the hospital.
The Navy man’s identity was being publicly withheld pending notification of his family.
Scorby gave few details about the cause of the accident except to say that the skydiver’s ‘parachute did not open.’
Sunday’s festivities, part of a weeklong showcase that brings dozens of US warships and thousands of service members to the New York City area every year, included demonstrations by the US Navy Parachute Team, known as the Leap Frogs.
The team is the official skydiving demonstration unit of the US Navy, comprising active-duty Navy SEALs, Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewmen and support personnel.
It is sanctioned by the Defense Department and recognized by the Federal Aviation Administration, according to its website.
Bjoern Kils, 37, of Jersey City, was watching the event from a boat when he saw three Leap Frogs jump from a helicopter, complete their aerial maneuvers and land.
‘Almost the same time that they touched down in Liberty State Park, we heard a splash and turned around very quick. I saw the water splash, and apparently there was a fourth parachutist,’ said Kils, who runs charter boats.
‘We’re not sure where he came from. We didn’t see him exit the same helicopter and apparently the chute did not deploy.’
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