Skydivers injured in crash near Queenstown

Saturday, 28 January 2017

NZONE Skydive Queenstown is working closely with the Civil Aviation Authority to determine how two employees crashed into the ground sustaining serious injuries.

 The two skydivers are in a stable condition in Dunedin Hospital after plummeting to the ground and crashing near Drift Bay about 7.45am on Saturday. 

NZONE Skydive Queenstown general manager Clark Scott said the accident happened in the final stages of a tandem training jump as the pair came in to land while performing a low turn at slow speed.

'We're trying to get to the bottom of what happened.

'Our immediate concerns are obviously for the wellbeing of the staff involved, and we are not in a position to comment further on their injuries or speculate as to what may have happened.'

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The company was fully supporting the two staff members involved, as well as family, friends and other staff, Scott said.

Initial reports suggested the  pair hit the ground at a speed of about 100kmh, a police spokeswoman said.

'The initial call that came in said that.'

NZONE skydive operations have been temporarily halted while the investigation is carried out but Scott anticipated being back to normal operations on Sunday.

St John spokesman Mark Tregoweth said both patients were transported by ambulance to Lakes District Hospital about 9.10am and both were flown by helicopter to Dunedin Hospital.

Both were in a serious condition, but he could not detail specific injuries.

Police were alerted about 8.15am.

Otago Regional Rescue Helicopter Trust managing director Graeme Gale said an aircraft was dispatched from Dunedin about 8am on Saturday.

Dunedin intensive care doctors and nurses were sent on the flight with paramedics, he said.

'[We took] the highest level of expertise through to Queenstown.'

Nzone Skydive Queenstown had two accidents in 2015.

A 36-year-old freefall cameraman suffered multiple injuries after crash landing during a solo jump in September 2015 while three months earlier another camera man was injured after a hard landing.

WorkSafe New Zealand and Victim Support have been notified.

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