Authorities have reported the death of a skydiver following a midair collision on Sunday. The tragic incident happened around 5:30 p.m. near Colville, northeast of Washington state. The Adams County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO) provided details.
The accident took place during a scheduled group skydiving jump. Multiple participants were involved, and several staff members witnessed the unfortunate event, according to officials. One of the jumpers became unresponsive during the descent.
“Authorities are investigating a fatal skydiving incident that occurred at West Plains Skydiving involving two jumpers during a scheduled group jump,” the ACSO shared in a statement on Facebook.
Deputies at the scene learned about a midair collision, resulting in one skydiver’s death. The second jumper sustained injuries that required medical attention. The victim was identified as Randy Hubbs from the Kennewick area in southeastern Washington. Nicole Klein, the second jumper involved, hailed from the Colville area.
After the collision, staff tracked Hubbs from about 500 feet above ground level. Witnesses observed that he became unresponsive, with his head and arms going limp following the impact. His parachute drifted north, away from the designated drop zone, eventually vanishing beyond a hill to the northeast.
Adams County Dispatch received a call about a medical emergency in the 2000 block of E. Schoessler Road. Deputies responded and conducted an investigation. Hubbs was later transferred to the care of the Adams County Coroner’s Office.
Officials noted that weather conditions did not appear to influence the incident. Both jumpers used personally owned equipment and were experienced, with Hubbs having completed more than 800 jumps and Klein around 900.
“We offer our deepest condolences to those impacted by this incident,” the ACSO conveyed.
The investigation into the accident is still ongoing. Further information will be released as it becomes available. This article was compiled by Bonny Chu, a Breaking and Trending News Writer for Fox News Digital.