A 28-year-old man from Boston died on Sunday afternoon following a skydiving accident at Jumptown Skydiving in Orange, Massachusetts. Authorities reported that a sudden and unexpected gust of wind caused the skydiver's parachute to malfunction when he was approximately 30 feet above the ground.
First responders were dispatched to the facility around 4 p.m. after receiving reports of a serious accident. The skydiver sustained critical injuries and was transported to Athol Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. His identity has not yet been released.
The Northwestern District Attorney's Office, along with the Massachusetts State Police and the Orange Police Department, are investigating the incident. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner is determining the official cause and manner of death.
Jumptown Skydiving released a statement expressing deep sadness over the incident and extending condolences to the victim's family and friends. The facility confirmed it is cooperating fully with the ongoing investigation, stating that a "sudden and unpredictable weather event appears to have caused the accident." They emphasized that the safety of their customers and staff remains their highest priority.
This incident follows a previous fatality at the Jumptown facility less than a year ago. In October, Robert Szabo, a 62-year-old experienced skydiving instructor, died after a mid-air collision with another skydiver. Szabo had completed over 5,000 jumps globally and was known as a mentor within the skydiving community.
Records indicate other incidents at Jumptown, including a 2022 injury where a skydiver's parachute became entangled, leading to a hard landing on a building. In 2018, 27-year-old Alexis Zayas died after colliding with a barn during a parachute descent.
The Orange Fire Department has previously described Jumptown as a "very safe operation," while acknowledging that "like any extracurricular activity, there are risks."