Polish skydiver dies in Czech Republic after parachute fails to open during group jump
A 51-year-old Polish skydiver died on Friday near Klatovy in the Czech Republic after his main parachute lines twisted and his reserve failed to deploy during a 4,000-meter jump.
Fatal incident during training jump
A 51-year-old Polish parachutist died on Friday, 2 October 2026, during a group skydiving exercise in the Czech Republic. The accident occurred on a meadow situated between the municipality of Tocnik and the town of Klatovy, in the immediate vicinity of the local airport. Police spokesman Michal Schon stated that the skydiver landed on open ground shortly before 9:30 AM, while other initial accounts reported the jump occurred around 10:30 AM. The victim was participating in a group jump alongside 14 other skydivers from various countries during training sessions for an upcoming airshow. The international gathering was organized by Pink Aviation to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Pink Skyvan aircraft.
Equipment malfunction at high altitude
The group exited the aircraft together at an altitude of approximately 4,000 meters above the ground. Event organizer Jana Spevackova reported that the 51-year-old Polish national was an experienced parachutist who had completed hundreds of similar jumps throughout his skydiving career. Problems began shortly after the parachutist left the plane and deployed the main canopy, when the supporting suspension lines became twisted. The entanglement caused the skydiver to enter a rapid, uncontrolled spin during the descent. Spevackova noted that the emergency situation developed very quickly, preventing the man from successfully releasing his reserve parachute. The organizer estimated that the parachutist struck the ground at a speed ranging between 70 and 100 km/h.
- A group of 14 skydivers jumps from the aircraft at an altitude of 4,000 meters.
- The main parachute opens with twisted lines, triggering a rapid uncontrolled spin.
- The reserve parachute fails to deploy before the skydiver strikes a meadow at 70 to 100 km/h.
- First responders perform CPR on site with helicopter support, but the skydiver is declared dead.
He jumped out of the plane at an altitude of about 4,000 meters above the ground, and when the parachute opened, the lines holding it were twisted.
Emergency response and resuscitation efforts
Emergency medical teams and an air rescue helicopter were dispatched immediately to the open field near Tocnik. First responders and flight paramedics conducted extended cardiopulmonary resuscitation on the meadow, utilizing all available advanced emergency equipment. The severe physical trauma sustained in the high-speed impact prevented the restoration of the victim's vital signs. Regional emergency medical service spokesperson Martin Stepan confirmed the fatal outcome following the on-site intervention. Attending physicians were ultimately forced to declare the 51-year-old Polish skydiver dead at the scene.
Despite all efforts of the rescuers and the exhaustion of all available means, it was not possible to restore the patient's vital functions and doctors had to declare him dead.
Official investigation and previous incidents
Czech police investigators and aviation accident specialists have initiated a formal inquiry to establish the exact sequence of technical and operational failures. The investigation encompasses a thorough examination of the jump progression, the equipment used, and the physical mechanisms that prevented the reserve parachute from deploying. Experts are analyzing why the twisted main lines triggered the subsequent fatal descent. The tragedy marks the second fatal skydiving incident near Klatovy in 2026, following the death of a 34-year-old parachutist in the same district in May. Authorities and aviation experts continue to analyze the equipment and witness testimonies to conclude the inquiry.
