Heart Attack Claims 49-Year-Old In Free-Fall

Authorities have not yet released the identities of two men involved in a parachuting incident Saturday afternoon... a skydive that turned out to be the first for one of the men, and the last for the other.

The Rock Hill, SC Herald reports a first-time jumper and an instructor from the Skydive Carolina Parachute Center were performing a tandem jump, the company's most popular program. In a tandem jump, an instructor and student are harnessed together to a single parachute -- increasing confidence and safety, and facilitating learning.

About a minute into Saturday's jump, the 49-year-old instructor suffered an apparent heart attack.

Fortunately, new skydivers at Skydive Carolina Parachute Center take a 30-minute safety course prior to their first dive, and the student was able to land the parachute with the incapacitated instructor safely. However, after they reached the ground, the student's efforts to revive him using CPR were unsuccessful.

Chester County Coroner Terry Tinker said there was no chance of survival from the heart attack because too much time had elapsed during the descent to earth before aid could be given.

Skydive Carolina Parachute Center opened in July of 1986 and is based at the Chester Catawba Airport (DCM) near Chester, SC. Its fleet includes a Twin Otter, a CASA 212 and a vintage Cessna 182.

FMI: www.skydivecarolina.com