LEBANON, Maine — A man from Massachusetts was seriously injured Monday when he was unable to perform a skydiving maneuver that would have softened his landing at a recreational skydiving facility in Lebanon.
Emergency officials from the town of Lebanon and the York County Sheriff's Office were called to Skydive New England shortly before noon for a report of an injured skydiver, the sheriff's office said in a news release.
The injured person, identified as 57-year-old Manny Silva of Dartmouth, was conscious, alert, and talking when crews arrived at the scene. Prior to their arrival, it was initially reported he was "semi-conscious with agonal breathing," the news release stated.
Early investigation suggests Silva was unable to perform a maneuver, called a "flair," that would have caused him to slow down before landing, according to the release.
As a result, Silva sustained an "extremely hard impact" when he landed.
Silva was brought by helicopter to a hospital with serious injuries, though they said they did not believe the injuries were considered life-threatening, emergency officials said.
Skydive New England shared in a statement with NEWS CENTER Maine that Silva had 33 prior jumps, and the extent of his injuries was unknown.
"According to witnesses, the skydiver's free fall and parachute deployment appeared normal, with no signs of equipment malfunction. Observers noted that the parachute performed as expected throughout the descent. However, at an altitude of approximately 300 feet, the skydiver stopped actively flying the parachute for unknown reasons, leading to a hard landing. Emergency medical services were promptly on-site, and the skydiver was conscious and responsive upon their arrival," according to a statement from Skydive New England.
"We are grateful to our highly trained staff, local emergency responders, and the wider community for their swift assistance and outpouring of support during this incident," a spokesperson for Skydive New England said in the statement. "The safety of our guests is our top priority, and we are committed to providing a safe and supportive environment for all of our skydivers."