2 licensed skydivers die after midair collision in California

Two experienced skydivers, participating in an organized event at Skydive Elsinore in California, tragically lost their lives after colliding mid-air and crashing to the ground. This unfortunate incident unfolded on Friday morning following reports of an air emergency, leading to the deployment of Riverside County Sheriff's deputies. Both victims were airlifted to a nearby hospital with critical injuries and sadly succumbed to their wounds upon arrival, as confirmed by the authorities.

According to Skydive Elsinore, the duo's free-fall and parachute deployment went according to plan before the catastrophic mid-air collision occurred at an altitude of roughly 150 feet. The collision caused their parachutes to become interlocked, resulting in severe injuries upon landing. The organization, which boasts of being the oldest skydiving operation in North America, located about an hour from both San Diego and Los Angeles, ruled out equipment malfunction as the cause of the accident, asserting normal operations leading up to the incident.