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Skydiver Survives 5,000 Foot Freefall

silvercord says...

From Google:

Experienced skydiver Michael Holmes survived a free fall from 5,000 feet over New Zealand's Lake Taupo, ... all » and the whole thing was caught on tape by two cameras. It happened two months ago. The cameras were on Holmes' helmet and the helmet of fellow skydiver Jonathan King. Holmes was plummeting to the Earth at 70 mph. He pulled the cord for his main parachute at 4,000 feet, but it didn't fully open, even though it caught enough air to violently spin him around. Seconds later, he pulled the cable to free his main chute, but it was snared in his harness and wouldn't break away.

At 2,000 feet, he faced a dire choice: release his reserve chute, which could tangle in the main chute and completely wipe out the little lift he had, or ride it out with the main chute only, hoping it would fully inflate before he hit the ground. He had to make a decision in seconds. After 700 feet, he knew the reserve chute would make little difference. He decided to release his reserve chute. As he feared, it snagged in the main chute and failed to open. Holmes was now 15 seconds from impact.

He waved good-bye to the camera at 530 feet and believed he was going to die. Michael crashed into a thicket of blackberry bushes. King swooped down to his side.

"Talk to me, bro," King asked Holmes. "Talk to me, man. You OK?"

"No," Holmes answered.

He was not OK, but incredibly, Holmes was alive. After falling into the blackberry bush, his lung had been punctured and he had a broken ankle, the BBC reported.

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