On Saturday (October 17), an Air Force serviceman in the United States suffered injuries during a parachute demonstration at a sports arena in Texas and later passed away in the hospital. The demonstration was part of a pre-game ritual for a college football match, dedicated to honoring the U.S. armed forces and veterans.
The incident took place at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, around 7 PM local time. The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) was about to play against the United States Naval Academy (USNA) in a football game. The Air Force personnel was descending rapidly from the ceiling of the arena via a rope when the accident occurred.
According to a report from the San Antonio local TV station KENS affiliated with CBS, the serviceman fell near the center of the field just before the start of UTSA’s “Salute to Armed Forces and Veterans” annual game.
A spokesperson from Nellis Air Force Base stated that the Air Force soldier belonged to the 2nd detachment of the 6th Combat Training Squadron stationed at the base in Nevada.
The statement confirmed that the serviceman was injured inside the arena and later succumbed to his injuries at a local hospital.
Authorities have not disclosed the identity of the male victim, who was one of the four servicemen scheduled to participate in the parachute demonstration before the game. According to information from a U.S. Air Force website, they were trained members of a professional team, learning techniques for rapid rope descents, sometimes from helicopters at a height of 100 feet (about 30 meters) or higher.
A video circulating on social media shows the serviceman in combat attire falling rapidly to the ground, landing on his feet. At the time of the incident, over 23,000 fans were seated in the stands, with a band present on the sidelines. He received several minutes of treatment on the field before being stretchered off by emergency personnel.
The incident is currently under investigation.
Following the incident, the game proceeded as scheduled, albeit with a delay of approximately 10 minutes. The University of Texas at San Antonio won the game with a score of 38-34.
(Information sourced from a report by CBS News)