Withdean Wanderer
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http://www.theargus.co.uk/display.var.1517170.0.raf_parachutists_crash_after_freak_wind.php
RAF parachutists crash after freak wind
By Katya Mira
It was raining men over a busy city road after a freak gust of wind threw an RAF parachute display team off course.
The experienced group of eight ex-military men had just completed an aerial display over Sussex County Cricket Ground in Eaton Road, Hove, before a 20:20 match tonight and at 300ft in the air were getting ready to land.
Then an unexpected burst of stormy weather suddenly blew them back towards Palmeira Square at 6.30pm where they landed in gardens, the road and trees. No-one was seriously injured.
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Stunned passer-by Mike Evans, 40, of Cromwell Road, was walking home from work when he saw the parachutists land all around him.
He said: "The unfortunate parachutists landed sporadically in trees, gardens, in the road and one was seen to hit hard with a tall building. Pandemonium followed as traffic came to an abrupt stop and pedestrians, ground stewards and St. John's Ambulance staff came to the rescue."
Parachutist and officer Mark Colebourne said there was no way of predicting that particular gust of wind.
He said: "As we got ready to land there was a freak wind we could not have predicted and there was nothing we could have done about it.
"We were all set to land but instead of going forwards we found ourselves pulled backwards.
"It is very rare that something like this happens and we do events like this week in week out."
RAF parachutists crash after freak wind
By Katya Mira
It was raining men over a busy city road after a freak gust of wind threw an RAF parachute display team off course.
The experienced group of eight ex-military men had just completed an aerial display over Sussex County Cricket Ground in Eaton Road, Hove, before a 20:20 match tonight and at 300ft in the air were getting ready to land.
Then an unexpected burst of stormy weather suddenly blew them back towards Palmeira Square at 6.30pm where they landed in gardens, the road and trees. No-one was seriously injured.
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Stunned passer-by Mike Evans, 40, of Cromwell Road, was walking home from work when he saw the parachutists land all around him.
He said: "The unfortunate parachutists landed sporadically in trees, gardens, in the road and one was seen to hit hard with a tall building. Pandemonium followed as traffic came to an abrupt stop and pedestrians, ground stewards and St. John's Ambulance staff came to the rescue."
Parachutist and officer Mark Colebourne said there was no way of predicting that particular gust of wind.
He said: "As we got ready to land there was a freak wind we could not have predicted and there was nothing we could have done about it.
"We were all set to land but instead of going forwards we found ourselves pulled backwards.
"It is very rare that something like this happens and we do events like this week in week out."
She was originally planned to jump in November by was cancelled because of high winds.
