Skydiving tragedy in California claims lives of student and instructor
Unexpected dust devil causes fatal accident
A tragic skydiving accident in California has claimed the lives of a 28-year-old skydiving student and her instructor after they encountered a “dust devil,” a rare and powerful whirlwind that forms in hot conditions. The victims, identified as Kayla Kieko Black and veteran instructor Devry LaRiccia Chase, were skydiving on Friday when the dust devil sent them into an uncontrollable spin, leading to a fatal crash.
Kayla Kieko Black, who was described by her family as a person of kindness and warmth, was remembered with deep affection. “Kayla was deeply cherished by her family and friends, who will forever remember her kindness, warmth, and unwavering support,” her family shared on a GoFundMe page set up in her memory. “In this time of immense sorrow, we find solace in knowing that Kayla’s legacy will live on through her selfless decision to be an organ donor,” they added, noting that her generosity would provide hope and new beginnings for others.
Details of the tragic incident
According to reports from the New York Post, Black was skydiving in tandem with her instructor, Devry LaRiccia Chase, who had successfully navigated away from an initial gust of wind. However, they were caught in a second dust devil during their descent. Dan Brodsky-Chenfeld, the manager of Skydive Perris, explained that the pair experienced a normal free fall and parachute deployment. “All aspects of the equipment and skydive were normal without any reported issues until the landing sequence,” he said. The dust devil’s sudden appearance caused turbulence, leading to a hard landing that proved fatal for both individuals.
A community mourns
Following the accident, both Black and Chase were rushed to a local hospital, but their injuries were too severe. A GoFundMe page was also started by Chase’s family to help bring her body back to her home state of Maine for burial, with the campaign raising more than $59,000 by Thursday afternoon.
Chase’s husband, Freddy Chase, expressed his deep sorrow in an interview with People, stating, “I want Kayla’s family to know that I am truly sorry for what happened, but I’m glad that she got to share the last conversation with Devry ever.” He emphasized that there was no equipment malfunction and that the tragedy was the result of an unexpected encounter with the dust devil. “It then sent her canopy into an uncontrolled spin to the ground,” he explained, noting that his wife was conducting her final jump of the day when the incident occurred.