Third fatality at airfield within a decade: Jade Damarell meets tragic end, mirroring previous incidents where skydiving accidents led to fatalities - one landed on a factory roof, and another failed to deploy parachute.
Title: Fatal Skydiving Incident at Peterlee's Shotton Colliery: Third Tragedy in a Decade
In the latest unfortunate turn of events, Jade Damarell, a 32-year-old marketing manager and an experienced skydiver, lost her life during a jump over the weekend at Shotton Airfield, a former coal mine site in Peterlee, County Durham. This marks the third fatal skydiving incident at the same location in the past ten years.
The distraught Damarell, who reportedly had more than 400 successful jumps under her belt, is believed to have intentionally sabotaged her jump, resulting in her demise. The death, initially suspected as a tragic skydiving accident, has now been classified as a deliberate act by Sky High Skydiving, the organization Damarell chose for her leap of faith.
Her passing sent shockwaves through the community, with Sky High Skydiving issuing a heartfelt statement expressing their deep regret and sympathies towards her family and friends. They acknowledged the overwhelming grief among their members as they grapple with this unimaginable loss.
Back in April 2024, the facility faced a similar tragedy when Sam Cornwell, a 46-year-old videographer, plummeted to his death. According to reports, his parachute malfunctioned, failing to open, leading to his fatal fall on a factory roof in Peterlee.
An inquest into Cornwell's death revealed that his main canopy had become twisted, rendering it useless, and his reserve parachute failed to deploy in time.
Cautioning memories are revived, as back in 2016, Pamela Gower, a 49-year-old woman from Tyneside who lived with dwarfism, met a grizzly end in a skydive at Peterlee Parachute Centre, another skydiving center based at Shotton Airfield. Gower's death was attributed to aggressive spinning in the wind, causing her to exert greater force than a fighter pilot and leaving her unable to deploy her parachute.
These incidents draw attention to the inherent risks associated with skydiving, specifically at the Shotton Colliery vicinity. With three fatalities in ten years, the area raises concerns about operational safety at these skydiving facilities. Despite a lack of explicit details regarding safety protocols at the airfield, the clusters of incidents signal potential procedural or equipment-related hazards. Coroner investigations are commonly initiated following such incidents to uncover contributing factors.
Despite the devastating turn of events, incredible facts about Jade Damarell's life emerged, with sources indicating sheengaged in over 80 jumps in the two days preceding her tragic demise. A close friend reportedly stated, "This wasn't a skydiving accident – we believe she intended to take her life, sadly."
This revelation casts an eerie shadow over her final jumps, fuelling questions regarding her state of mind during those fateful leaps. As an inquest is launched to investigate the circumstances leading to Jade's death and to shed light on her last moments on Earth, the skydiving community grapples with the weight of these events and their implications.
- The recent skydiving incident involving Jade Damarell in Peterlee's Shotton Colliery has been classified as a deliberate act, a tragic turn of events that marks the third such incident at the same location in the past decade.
- The 32-year-old marketing manager, previously known for her enthusiasm towards skydiving with over 400 successful jumps, is believed to have deliberately sabotaged her jump, leading to her demise.
- Sky High Skydiving, the organization Damarell chose for her jump, issued a statement expressing their sorrow and regret, while acknowledging the grief felt by their members.
- The sudden loss of Jade Damarell has highlighted the inherent risks associated with skydiving at the Shotton Colliery vicinity, raising concerns about operational safety at these skydiving facilities due to the cluster of three fatalities in ten years.
- Despite the tragic circumstances, it has been reported that Damarell had engaged in over 80 jumps in the two days preceding her death, sparking questions about her mental state during those fateful leaps.


