Accident near Barwon Heads sees experienced skydiver flown to hospital

A man flown to hospital following a skydiving accident in Connewarre was an experienced solo jumper.

A man was flown to hospital in a serious condition after a skydiving accident near Barwon Heads on Sunday.

A man flown to hospital following a skydiving accident in Connewarre was an experienced solo jumper.

A spokeswoman for Australian Skydive, which operates Skydive Great Ocean Road on Barwon Heads Rd, saidthe man, aged in his 30s, hit the ground hard on Sunday afternoon after being unable to slow his canopy adequately at the time of landing.

“The drop zone supervisor witnessed the incident and immediately notified emergency services,” the spokeswoman said.

The man was taken by air ambulance to The Alfred hospital in a serious but stable condition.

“Prior to their (paramedics) arrival, staff members provided aid,” the spokeswoman said.

“We understand from follow up that he was in a stable condition and in good spirits.”

An Ambulance Victoria spokesman said the man suffered lower body injuries, and The Alfred said he remained in a serious but stable condition on Monday morning.

It is one of many skydiving accidents across the region in recent years

In October 2022, a solo skydiving student suffered spinal injuries after a hard landing near Torquay airport.

Just a few months earlier, a man died after attempting his first jump in a wingsuit near Connewarre.

The experienced skydiver’s primary and backup parachutes failed to deploy.

In mid-2021, a parachute instructor died and another man was taken to hospital after a tandem jump when the pair’s primary parachute failed to deploy.

Originally published as Accident near Barwon Heads sees experienced skydiver flown to hospital