In spite of all our differences, the one thing that binds all living creatures is that we each have an expiration date. This finality to our existence is what makes life special, something to be cherished and protected. But occasionally things can go terribly wrong…
Jul
28th
Author: Taz |
Files under Casualties: Low, Sports
A 23-year-old Georgia Tech student died skydiving Saturday and happened to videotape his own fatal plunge. Olen Reid Ashe III was an experienced skydiver, and this was his 299th jump.
The case is under investigation, but it appeared Ashe deployed his main parachute at 3,000 feet, but it failed to open. Ashe should have activated his emergency chute at 1,500 feet, but for some reason he didn’t deploy it until he was at 500 feet, which was too late.
Authorities believe that although Ashe was an expert skydiver, he may have lost "altitude awareness" in the emergency and failed to react quickly enough. Police are reviewing the videotape that Ashe made of his fatal fall to search for more clues.
