Great-grandad dies skydiving

A BRITISH great-grandfather died after plunging into a reservoir in a skydiving accident in Thailand.

James McConnell, 69, was meant to land on an airstrip following the jump from a plane on Thursday, but instead crashed into water nearby.

He was skydiving in Pattaya with British-owned firm Sky Thai Adventures, which organises jumps from around 13,000ft. It was not known last night if his parachute failed, but a relative said he may have suffered a heart attack. Local police are investigating the death.

Mr McConnell, a piping engineer from Dunbartonshire in Scotland, had lived and worked in Thailand for 20 years. He was an experienced skydiver who had completed more than 1,000 jumps. He leaves behind son Mark, 43, two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.