Skydiving death shock Darwin woman jumped with the company last week
A Darwin woman, who skydived at Mission Beach last weekend, has told of her deep sadness learning that her instructor was one of those killed in a freak skydiving accident on Friday.
Danielle Beattie was visiting Far North Queensland from Darwin when she skydived with Skydive Mission Beach.
A Mission Beach motherof-eight and two instructors were killed in the skydiving accident.
Kerri Pike, 50, was tandem skydiving with highly experienced instructors, Peter Dawson and Toby Turner, with Skydive Mission Beach when the midair collision occurred.
Investigators are trying to piece together what led to the collision. One of the bodies was reportedly found in a resident’s backyard.
Ms Beattie said she and her partner Dave McWilliams were taken through all the appropriate safety procedures.
In a Facebook post Ms Beattie paid tribute to the dead and in particular Toby Turner.
“I am so, so saddened and utterly lost for words to confirm that it was my wonderful instructor Toby, who was sadly one of the three people who lost their lives today on Mission Beach,” Ms Beattie said.
“My thoughts go out to his family, and all his colleagues that we laughed and dived with on Saturday. I truly have so much admiration for how well this guy did his job and made last Saturday so special and memorable for me.
“David and I remember the moment we were about to dive and all of the instructors high 5’d and fist pumped, even though they do this ten times a day, every dive was like the first time for them and they did it as mates. Rest In Peace Toby, I’m So-so sorry.
“This news has left us shaken, in tears and sick to our stomachs. We are so, so lucky and are thanking our lucky stars that we are safe.
“To think that someone we met or dived with has been killed is just awful.”
She called her experience “amazing and breathtaking”
“The staff work so, so hard and even though they skydive so many times a day, Toby made my experience so exciting and I was able to control the parachute when we were chilling in the sky! Thank you guys so much!”