A seasoned skydiving instructor tragically lost his life in a mistimed incident following a tandem jump in Tennessee, after becoming detached from his student during an unforeseen accident.
The body of 35-year-old Justin Fuller was discovered in a Nashville clearing after the jump went fatally awry on Saturday, officials reported.
Fortunately, his student survived the fall but was found ensnared in a tree, still attached to the parachute.
The tragic incident is believed to have occurred when the harness worn by both individuals got snagged on the aircraft’s edge as they exited.
According to the Metro Nashville Police Department, “The instructor is assumed to have fallen from the sky without a parachute.”
Fuller’s body was subsequently recovered hours later from a wooded area.
Images depicted responders using a large ladder to rescue the student and bring him to safety.
Authorities confirmed he was “awake, alert, and in stable condition after being suspended for hours.”
Three other skydivers on the same flight managed to land without incident, police noted.
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The Federal Aviation Administration is currently investigating the circumstances surrounding this unfortunate event.
It was reported that the equipment associated with the student did not appear to be faulty or defective.
Known affectionately as “Spidey,” Fuller had logged over 5,000 jumps, according to FOX 17.
In a recent post on social media, he had expressed his passion for teaching others to skydive, saying:
“In my opinion, teaching people to skydive is the most fulfilling job at the drop zone. Seeing them grasp the concept and begin to control their bodies while flying is truly rewarding. Though sometimes, it can get a bit chaotic when someone makes their first jump.”
