(4 Apr 2014) An attempt to set a world skydiving record by having more than 220 people free-fall from an airplane in formation turned tragic on Thursday when one of the jumpers died during the daring effort.
The victim's body was found between a half-mile (800 metres) and mile (1.6 kilometres) from the drop zone.
The skydiver was pronounced dead at the scene.
She was identified as 46-year-old Diana Paris from Germany.
Her husband told police she had completed 1,500 jumps in her skydiving career.
Skydive Arizona blamed the accident on a malfunctioning parachute that was released too low to the ground to allow a reserve parachute to fully open.
The accident occurred during an attempt to break a world record for what is called a "formation jump."
The group of 222 people from 28 countries planned to free-fall from about 18,000 feet (5,486 metres), come together in a formation before separating and doing another formation, then pull their parachutes.
The group did not complete the formation and therefore did not set the record on Thursday.
World Team organised the event at Skydive Arizona, one of the top US skydiving locations.
Skydivers cried and hugged each other and prayed after they learned of the death.
"It's sad," said skydiver Debbie Franzese of New York. "but also it happens. You know, it just happens."
The Federal Aviation Administration are investigating.
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