1 dead after skydiving mishap in New Jersey
MONROE TOWNSHIP, N.J. -- A skydiver fell to his death in a Monroe Township neighborhood on Sunday afternoon.
Authorities say a 54-year-old man fell from the sky after his parachute failed to deploy.
"I heard a thud, we thought a car hit somebody then I saw this white thing lying there," said Rosemary Ilgenfritz.
Neighbors in the Brookdale development said they were horrified and quickly called 911.
"It's traumatizing," said Kayla Maure. "I didn't see it happen, just seeing his body there is traumatizing."
Neighbors said the deceased was surrounded by a parachute but police told them it appears the backup chute was attached to him.
Police were searching the area for another parachute.
Neighbors also described seeing more than one skydiver around the same time as the accident, leading them to believe more than one person jumped from the same plane.
Crosskeys Airport is only a few miles away and is a popular destination for skydivers.
Residents familiar with Crosskeys skydivers say it appears the victim somehow veered off course.
"The jumper was very experienced having over 1,000 jumps to his credit. The skydiver's parachute was deployed upon exiting the airplane," said Skydive Cross Keys in a statement to Action News.
The Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office said they are investigating this accident.
