HORROR DEATH PLUNGE
Mum of eight and two instructors die in Mission Beach skydive
A MOTHER of eight celebrating her 50th birthday and two other skydivers plunged to their deaths in a horror tragedy which has shocked the close knit community of Mission Beach.
Kerri Pike was tandem skydiving with an instruc- tor yesterday when it is believed they collided with a solo skydiver. Their parachutes failed to open. The other victims were Peter Dawson (centre) and Toby Turner (right).
A CHERISHED mother was enjoying her 50th birthday present when her tandem skydive took a tragic turn at Mission Beach yesterday.
Mother-of-eight Kerri Pike, 50, wife of former Cassowary Coast councillor Alister Pike, was tandem skydiving with an instructor when they apparently collided with a solo skydiver and their parachutes failed to deploy.
Mrs Pike was one of three skydivers who died in the tragedy that has shocked and devastated the Far North community.
The other two skydivers have been identified as instructors Toby Turner and Peter Dawson.
Emergency services were called after 3pm to Alexander Drive, where one resident found a male victim in their backyard, while the other two victims were found tangled in a nearby tree on a banana farm.
Queensland Ambulance Service operations supervisor Neil Noble said the skydivers’ injuries were “so severe” that they were declared dead at the scene.
A witness to the tragedy said he could do nothing but watch as a single skydiver plummeted towards the earth.
“I watched it unfold,” the man, who did not wish to be named, said.
“You could see one chute was tangled and it wasn’t opening. I was just watching him in free fall until he went behind the trees and that was the last I saw.”
The witness said it appeared the skydiver did not activate a backup parachute after the first one failed and the mood in town was sombre.
“It wasn’t good to watch. I had my heart in my mouth,” he said.
The owner of the banana farm where it is believed two people fell to their deaths was unaware of a problem until police arrived.
Ken Barnes said his wife Eileen and a nurse visiting her didn’t hear anything either.
“This is just a terrible shock and a tragedy,” he said.
“I also feel bad for the Mission Beach tourism industry because skydiving is very popular.”
Mr Barnes’ driveway was sealed off yesterday afternoon as forensic police teams scoured the area.
Lorraine Thompson was fishing at Clump Point and said she knew something was wrong.
“I had a bad feeling because I could see a silver object falling between two skydivers, which is unusual,” she said.
“Then I saw both parachutes didn’t open, they were just crumpled up and flapping as the people fell.”
She said the incident was terrible.
“I watched them until they dropped behind the trees.
“I was really hoping that somehow they could have just ended up with broken bones, but it sounds much worse than that.”
Cassowary Coast Regional Council Mayor John Kremastos said the deaths were tragically raw for the community.
“The few people I have spoken to are absolutely devastated and that will translate right across the region,” he said.
“I haven’t thought about how it affects the dollars and cents side of things within the region. This is more about the community and the people who have been affected by this tragedy.”