Navy Seal parachutist killed in demo

JERSEY CITY: In the shadow of the Statue of Liberty, a Navy Seal team member fell to his death when his parachute failed to open during a Fleet Week demonstration over the Hudson River.

The accident occurred a few minutes after noon on Sunday near Liberty State Park, a large New Jersey park across from Manhattan where thousands of people a year catch ferries to the nearby national treasure.

The parachutist, whose identity was not immediately released, was a member of an elite Navy parachute team called the Leap Frogs, a Navy spokesman said.

The cause of the parachute malfunction is under investigation.

The Navy said the parachutist was rescued immediately from the water by US Coast Guard personnel who were standing by in vessels.

He was pronounced dead at Jersey City Medical Center at 1.10pm. — AP