Skydiver survives 15,000 foot fall

[derstuka]

Yes, this has happened before, but you sure are one lucky SOB to survive it!

http://www.ugoto.com/links/launch/50154/

UK skydiver survives 15,000ft fall Thursday December 21, 07:02 AM

A British skydiver whose parachute failed survived a 15,000ft fall by landing in a blackberry bush.

Michael Holmes, 25, from Jersey, escaped with a punctured lung and a broken ankle during a jump in Taupo on New Zealand's North Island.

The professional skydiver's parachute became tangled and his reserve failed to open.

But after plunging towards the earth at more than 100mph, Mr Holmes survived by landing in a thick blackberry bush which cushioned his fall.

He escaped with a broken

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ankle and punctured lung and was today recovering in Waikato Hospital.
The incident happened on December 12, when Mr Holmes was found unconscious by police in a blackberry bush in a conservation area in Five Mile Bay.

Mr Holmes is a cameraman who films parachute jumps for Taupo Tandem Skydiving, where he has worked for several years.

Eyewitness John Siddles told New Zealand's Daily Post: "One of the skydivers was coming down and going round and round.

"He looked like he was all tangled up or something. He just came down, straight down."

The accident is now being investigated by the New Zealand Parachute Industry Association.

A spokesman for Taupo Fire Brigade said Mr Holmes had fallen into dense bushes and the brigade had been called to slash a path through to free him.

[Martin Andrew Hall]

I think the video is on youtube somewhere as the person in question had a headcam on at the time, if it's the same person that is. I believe he had partial inflation of the canopy which slowed him down well below 100mph. Still a very lucky man to have survived that. Will try and find the link to the youtube video...

[Kent K25]

Had to have been going slower than 100 MPH, unless that's one crazy huge blackberry bush.