John
06-07-2010, 05:00 PM
Two people died when their parachutes became tangled, it has emerged.
Brian Laithwaite, 65, and Emma Bramley, 31, were parachuting at Langar Airfield in Nottinghamshire on Friday afternoon when the accident happened.
They were using separate parachutes when they became tangled, causing them to plummet to the ground.
Mr Laithwaite, from Wigan in Lancashire, and Ms Bramley, from Nottingham, were both described as experienced parachutists by police.
The accident happened at about 3.30pm on Friday. Nottinghamshire Police has launched an investigation.
A police spokeswoman said: "The deaths are not believed to be suspicious."
Ms Bramley and Mr Laithwaite were part of a 14-strong group which had set off at 3pm on Friday afternoon in a Cessna plane from the airfield, which is ten miles south-east of Nottingham.
They had flown to 13,500ft before Ms Bramley and Mr Laithwaite jumped out in a six-man group to perform a number of formations above the ground.
The plan was to split off at between 2,800ft and 3,500ft so that each jumper could deploy their parachute safely in space.
It was then that Ms Bramley, who was married, deployed her main parachute and it became tangled Mr Laithwaite's body. He remained above her, with his own canopy fully open as they fell towards the ground.
Brian Laithwaite, 65, and Emma Bramley, 31, were parachuting at Langar Airfield in Nottinghamshire on Friday afternoon when the accident happened.
They were using separate parachutes when they became tangled, causing them to plummet to the ground.
Mr Laithwaite, from Wigan in Lancashire, and Ms Bramley, from Nottingham, were both described as experienced parachutists by police.
The accident happened at about 3.30pm on Friday. Nottinghamshire Police has launched an investigation.
A police spokeswoman said: "The deaths are not believed to be suspicious."
Ms Bramley and Mr Laithwaite were part of a 14-strong group which had set off at 3pm on Friday afternoon in a Cessna plane from the airfield, which is ten miles south-east of Nottingham.
They had flown to 13,500ft before Ms Bramley and Mr Laithwaite jumped out in a six-man group to perform a number of formations above the ground.
The plan was to split off at between 2,800ft and 3,500ft so that each jumper could deploy their parachute safely in space.
It was then that Ms Bramley, who was married, deployed her main parachute and it became tangled Mr Laithwaite's body. He remained above her, with his own canopy fully open as they fell towards the ground.