Veteran Skydiver Dies in Intentional 15,500ft Fall After Breakup with Boyfriend

An experienced skydiver, Jade Damarell, deliberately fell to her death from 15,500 feet the day after ending her relationship, an inquest revealed. The marketing manager died after crashing onto farmland in Shotton Colliery, Co Durham, on April 27.

Born in Hong Kong and living in Caerphilly, Ms Damarell had completed over 500 skydives and was highly experienced. The inquest confirmed there was no evidence of equipment failure; a British Skydiving report noted she had completed six jumps the previous day.

On the day of her death, she did not deploy her main or reserve parachute and switched off her automatic activation device (AAD), which normally acts as a backup. She crashed onto farmland, sustaining multiple fatal injuries.

Ms Damarell left instructions on her phone for accessing it and detailed her finances in its notes folder. She also left a note to her family at 2:30 a.m., expressing apologies and gratitude.

Coroner Dr Leslie Hamilton summarized a statement from her former partner, noting their relationship had ended the previous night. The coroner confirmed they had met through skydiving but provided no further details.

Bryn Chaffe, co-owner of Sky-High Skydiving, said he saw Ms Damarell eating breakfast at the base before her jump, with nothing unusual in her behavior. A post-mortem confirmed death from blunt trauma, with toxicology tests negative for drugs or alcohol.

Dr Hamilton concluded that Ms Damarell intentionally chose not to use her parachutes or the AAD, confirming that her death was a deliberate act. He extended condolences to the family.

Jeff Montgomery, head of safety and training at British Skydiving, expressed deep condolences, calling the incident “extremely tragic.”

Ms Damarell’s parents, Liz and Andrew Samuel, observed the hearing remotely. After the inquest, they described their daughter as “brilliant, beautiful, brave, and truly extraordinary,” praising her adventurous spirit and the joy she brought to others.

In tribute, Ms Damarell’s mother participated in a skydive to honor her daughter. Her family also set up a GoFundMe in her memory, supporting the Make-A-Wish Foundation UK for seriously ill children.

The family emphasized the importance of speaking openly about mental health, hoping to foster a culture of kindness and support for those in distress, and asked for privacy during this difficult time.