The family of a young British man, aged 25, has spoken out following a tragic skydiving accident near Las Vegas, Nevada, involving him and his skydiving instructor.
Mitchell Deakin and his skydiving instructor, Jiron Arcos Ponce, aged 54, were severely injured after their parachute malfunctioned during a skydiving jump on September 17. A family friend provided the name of the instructor.
An incident report from the Metropolitan Police Department, as mentioned by the Las Vegas Review-Journal, describes how the pair, tethered together, entered an uncontrollable spin while descending, ultimately crashing in the desert at speeds exceeding 45 mph.
A GoFundMe page set up for Deakin reveals that the British man sustained a fractured pelvis, broken ribs, a perforated lung, and a kidney laceration due to the fall. He is currently receiving medical care at the University Medical Center in Las Vegas.
The GoFundMe page notes: “Mitch has now had surgery in America where they have put metal plates in his pelvis, so it will not collapse in on itself. He has also having liquid drained from his lung and is unable to stand/walk at the moment.”
A family friend of Ponce informed the Review Journal that as of September 25, the skydiving instructor remains in critical condition.
Deakin’s mother has provided an update, sharing that he has been undergoing physiotherapy, which has enabled him to walk with a frame, although he cannot bear weight on his right leg.
She continued: “We found out yesterday he has more internal fracture injuries in his back and ribs and pelvis than we knew about, were told they will heal as they are all stable and held in place by muscles.
“He was particularly exhausted yesterday but had a great sleep. A dietician has arranged food he does like so hopefully that we help him get stronger, he isn’t really eating very much.”
Deakin’s mother also mentioned that he remains ‘really positive’ and is ‘truly grateful’ for the support he has received following the accident.
Isabel Clacher, who organized the GoFundMe, described the experience as ‘extremely traumatic for him and his family and friends’ partly because Deakin ‘is so far away from home’.
“We all want him back in the UK safe, where he can be looked after by us all,” Clacher wrote. “The donations made will go towards the rest of his recovery time in America paying for any necessary medical bills, transportation and accommodation, as we do not know how long it will be until he can fly home. Mitch has told us that if there any donations are left over, he would like to donate them to a charity of his choice.”
The GoFundMe campaign has a goal of £20,000 ($27,010), and at the time of writing (October 2), it has raised £18,598 ($25,117). To contribute, you can click here.
The Federal Aviation Administration is currently investigating the parachute malfunction.
A spokesperson for the FAA informed the BBC: “The FAA investigates the packing of the main and reserve parachutes, and the rules of flight for the pilot and aircraft.
“If the FAA does not find any evidence of regulatory violation, it will defer any further investigation of the accident to local law enforcement.
“The FAA does not determine cause.”