County Durham, UK — A 32-year-old woman has become the third person in ten years to die while skydiving at Shotton Airfield in Peterlee, County Durham.
Jade Damarell, a seasoned skydiver with more than 400 jumps to her name, died on Sunday morning, April 28, 2025, in what authorities and fellow skydivers fear was a deliberate act to end her life.
Ms. Damarell, who worked as a marketing manager and was married, had been jumping with SkyHigh Skydiving, a company based at the former colliery site. She reportedly completed 11 jumps in the 48 hours leading up to the fatal incident.
Emergency services and police were called to nearby Wreford’s Farm, where she landed. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
SkyHigh Skydiving released a statement confirming her death and indicating that initial findings suggest she chose not to deploy her parachute.
“It is with great sadness that we confirm a tragic incident took place on 28 April 2025 involving a valued member of our community,” the company said. “All indications from the police and British Skydiving are that this was a deliberate act taken to end her own life. This heartbreaking news has deeply affected all who knew her, and our thoughts are with her family and friends as they face this unimaginable loss.”
A friend of Ms. Damarell, who witnessed her final jump, told reporters that she had exited the plane with another skydiver but then turned onto her back and failed to open her parachute.
“This wasn’t a skydiving accident — we believe she intended to take her life,” the friend said.
Police are continuing their investigation into the incident. One eyewitness is believed to have seen the moment she hit the ground.
This marks the third fatality involving a skydiver at Shotton Airfield in the past ten years.