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Gerrard Kaonga
Warning: This article contains discussion of suicide which some readers may find distressing.
A coroner has provided more details about the skydiver who fell to her death earlier this year.
Jade Damarell was considered a 'very experienced' skydiver and had over 500 successful jumps to her name before her death on April 27.
The 32-year-old died after falling 15,000 feet into a field in Shotton Colliery in County Durham, UK.
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On May 22, an inquest opening hearing took place into her death. The post-mortem examination, which took place at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle, UK, found Jade died as a result of 'blunt trauma'.
At the time, coroner Jeremy Chipperfield said there was no reason to believe that she had suffered any equipment failure in her death.
And this month, an inquest into Damarell’s death saw coroner Leslie Hamilton confirm that her death had officially been ruled a suicide.
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The coroner also summarized a note they had received from Damarell’s partner and fellow skydiver which explained that the couple had ‘ended their relationship the night before' (via The Guardian).
On the day before her death, she had previously completed six jumps. However, the inquest heard that Damarell deliberately did not deploy her main parachute, having turned off a device which would have enabled the parachute to automatically open upon reaching a certain altitude and speed.
She also would typically wear a camera during her jumps, but for her final dive, she did not.
The inquest was also told that Damarell left instructions on her phone lock screen about how to access it after her death, which a police officer discovered at the scene, and left a note addressing her family on the device.
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In the note, she'd 'apologized and thanked them for their support' and had given details about her finances.
Damarell’s family have accepted the coroner’s ruling and thanked the skydiving community for their support during this difficult time.
Describing her as 'brilliant, beautiful, brave and and truly extraordinary', they continued to say that they wished to speak 'openly and without shame' about her death to 'contribute to a culture where mental ill-health is met with kindness and support, and where people in deep distress, and those around them, feel seen, believed and able to reach for support without fear of judgment'.
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After news of her passing broke, a Sky-High Skydiving spokesperson said: "It is with great sadness that we confirm a tragic incident took place involving a valued member of our community.
"This heartbreaking news has deeply affected all who knew her, and our thoughts are with her family and friends as they face this unimaginable loss. At this incredibly difficult time, we ask for privacy and compassion for those grieving."
If you or someone you know is struggling or in a mental health crisis, help is available through Mental Health America. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org. You can also reach the Crisis Text Line by texting MHA to 741741.