LEBANON (AP) – An unexpected and sudden change in weather left five parachuters entangled among trees and electrical wires after a hard wind prevented them from gliding toward the airport.
No serious injuries were reported Saturday after the incident near Skydive New England, where a team of 20 parachutists were attempting an evening jump. All 20 planned to land at the Skydive New England’s drop zone.
Four of the five jumpers landed in a residential neighborhood yard. A fifth parachutist landed safely eight miles away.
“I just got into a little ball and said Help me, God.’ and crash landed,” said Leeanne Loyen, one of two jumpers who were trapped in trees 50 feet above ground. The second jumper was identified as Anthony Gagnon, of Barrington, N.H.
A third jumper was briefly entangled in power lines in front of the house before falling to the ground. A fourth jumper snagged a clothesline next to the house before landing.
The fifth jumper went even farther off course, landing eight miles from Skydive New England. Loyen, a novice parachutist who had jumped only twice before, said she followed more experienced parachutists.
She said her ankle was hurt after landing in the tree.
Her husband, who was able to free her 15 minutes after they landed, had some words of encouragement for her shortly once she was untangled.
“You’re not a real skydiver unless you land in a tree at least once,” said Dominik Loyen, who is also an instructor at Skydive New England.
Loyen added that the group was blown off course when the wind gust forced them to fall straight down instead of gliding toward the landing site. Despite the danger, the jumpers were in good spirits.
AP-ES-04-18-04 1230EDT
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