A severe accident has occurred at Sky Dive Mount Cook, incapacitating one of the company’s camera operators, now in critical condition. The accident happened on a recent Tuesday while they were performing a standard leap, recording footage for the established skydiving company.
The firm’s representative confirmed to the Herald that the individual is a professional “flyer”, tasked with the job of filming the adrenaline-charged leaps by jumping alongside the thrill-seekers from the aircraft. He was quick to reassure that the mishap did not happen during a tandem jump with any patrons but was instead a routine jump operated by the team member alone.
The company is in immediate rectification mode, fully cooperating with local law enforcement while they investigate the incident. The spokesperson added, “As we navigate through this trying time, we are in constant communication with the family, aiming to provide support in every possible way.”
St John, the renowned ambulance service, verified that they dispatched an ambulance and a helicopter to Pukaki’s Swallow Drive at 5:56 pm on the 17th of October, following the reported incident. The injured camera operator was promptly airlifted to Christchurch hospital, signaling the severity of the situation.
Skydive Mount Cook’s official website provides a snapshot of the camera operators’ role. It entails these brave photographers jumping from the plane alongside the skydivers to capture them in the act, thousands of meters above ground level. They patiently dangle outside the aircraft, anticipating the right moment to make their own dive, joining the skydiver mid-air to record the thrilling experience from the most dynamic views. The current incident underlines the extreme risks that these adventurous operators take to provide people with stunning skydiving footage. It stands as a sobering reminder of the potential perils inherent in such high-risk, high-reward endeavors.
