Featured Image Credit: Jam Press
Topics: TikTok, Canada, World News
Anna Verdon
A beauty queen and TikTok influencer has tragically died in a freak skydiving accident.
Tanya Pardazi, from Toronto, Canada, was taking part in her first solo jump on 27 August.
The social media star, who had nearly 100,000 followers on her TikTok page (@Philosatea), was fatally injured after jumping out of a plane in the town of Innisfil in Ontario at around 5:40pm.
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According to local media, the plane was operated by Skydive Toronto and it’s thought she opened her parachute too late during her first solo skydive.
The TikToker was rushed to a nearby hospital but sadly was pronounced dead on arrival.
Tanya, who was studying philosophy at the University of Toronto, last uploaded a video on 22 August when she spoke about skydiving.
The comments section has since been filled with tributes.
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One user said: “Rest in Peace my friend. I’m sorry you were taken from us so soon. I hope afterlife is all that you imagined and more, until we meet again.”
Another also wrote: “You were such an insightful person. So much wisdom left with you. Thank you for sharing as much as you could. RIP beautiful.”
Tanya’s friends said she had previously taken part in the Miss Canada beauty pageant and had made it to the semi-finals.
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One of them, Melody Ozgoli, told local news site Barrie Today: “One of her favourite topics to talk about was meaning of life and the curiosity of the after-life.
“I talked to her recently. I couldn't believe it. I thought it was a joke. It has been a couple of days and I still can't believe it.”
Melody, who knew Tanya for more than a decade after meeting her in primary school, added: “She was adventurous and always trying new exciting stuff. Skydiving was supposed to be another fun adventure for her.”
She also called her late friend a 'gift to the world'.
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Another friend, Kimia Sepanlou, called her 'one of the bravest girls' she knew, telling Toronto CTV News: “Whenever we saw her, we knew we were in for an adventure because she didn't like letting herself, or the people closest to her, get bored.”
Skydive Toronto said in a press statement that Tanya was a 'recent addition' to the skydiving community and had 'released a quickly rotating main parachute at a low altitude without the time/altitude required for the reserve parachute to inflate'.
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The company added: “The team at Skydive Toronto Inc. has been profoundly affected by the accident as they have refined their student training program for over 50 years.”
A police investigation is taking place into the incident.
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact Cruse Bereavement Care via their national helpline on 0808 808 1677