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Skydiver Jade Damarell fell 15,500ft to her death hours after break-up
A skydiver who plummeted to her death at 15,500ft split from her boyfriend just hours before she died, an inquest into her death heard today.
Jade Damarell, 32, died after crashing onto farmland in the village of Shotton Colliery, Co Durham, on April 27. The marketing manager, who was born in Hong Kong and lived in Caerphilly, Wales, was an experienced skydiver who had accomplished more than 400 jumps.
There was 'no reason to suspect' her equipment was not working on the day she died. A report by British SkyDiving said that she had successfully carried out six skydives on the day before the tragedy.
She had been on over 400 jumps before the tragedy
But she 'made no attempt' to activate her parachute or the back up device on the day that she died. The back up system, known as Automatic Activation Device (AAD), would have opened when her main shoot did not open if it had been switched on.
Jade had not activated the device and fell to the ground, suffering 'multiple injuries' when she landed on her back in a field. In a statement to the inquest in Crook, Co Durham today, her boyfriend Ben Goodfellow confirmed that they had "ended their relationship" on the night before she died.
They met through their 'mutual love of skydiving', he said in a brief statement read by coroner Dr Leslie Hamilton. Jade was not wearing a camera on her helmet for the jump, and was seen having some breakfast at 8.30am at the sky dive centre shortly before the jump at 10am.
Dr Hamilton concluded that her death was by suicide, and expressed his condolences to the family. The inquest heard that she had left a notes folder at around 2.30am on the morning of her death; one was to the family, "apologising and thanking them for their support".
Jade had split from her boyfriend the night before the tragedy (
Image:
FACEBOOK)
It gave details of passwords for her financial accounts. It is understood that she had been in a relationship with Ben, a 26-year-old car technician and musician, for about eight months.
She also left notes for her family on her phone, the inquest was told. Ms Damarell's parachute did not open during the fatal skydive, where she is thought to have reached speeds of around 120 mph in her descent.
Mr Hamilton said a scan at the Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle, carried out by Dr James Henry, found that she died as a result of "blunt trauma".
The opening to the inquest earlier this year heard that the body was identified by Bryn Chaffe, who was chief instructor at the skydiving firm she used.
Jade's courageous mum took part in a sky dive to honour her daughter following the tragedy.
More at https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/breaking-skydiver-jade-damarell-fell-35768717