Parachute failure sparks daring rescue from British army display team

A member of the British military stunt team, The Red Devils, is rescued by a teammate after his parachute failed to open properly whilst performing on Friday, June 19 at the Whitehaven Airshow in north-western England. (Ricky Parnaby via AP)Show less

LONDON // A British army paratrooper from the country’s famed Red Devils display team has had a narrow escape in front of hundreds of spectators, after he was caught mid-air by a fellow team member when his parachute failed to open properly.

It was the first parachute fail in 25 years for the team, said the Whitehaven Airshow in north-west England where the incident happened late on Friday.

Spectators published dramatic photos and video on social media showing one soldier with a fully open parachute wrapping his legs around the ropes of his team mate’s tangled parachute below.

“It was awful watching them struggling, especially when they veered off course – until we realised they were purposely targeting the biggest area of water for ditching into,” a spectator said on the airshow’s Facebook page.

The men landed in a nearby marina, where they were then plucked to safety. A British army spokesman said they were both unharmed and that the incident was being investigated.

The Red Devils team is made up of 12 members of Britain’s elite Parachute Regiment and takes part in over 60 public displays a year.

* Reuters, with additional reporting by Associated Press