Inquest told Skydiver Lost Control

Posted Wednesday, April 4, 2001

An inquest in Cardiff has heard how a Welsh Guardsman plummeted to his death when he lost control of his parachute over a Spanish holiday resort. A verdict of accidental death was recorded on 30-year-old Carl Henly who was on a New Year skydiving holiday on the Costa Brava when a formation jump went wrong.
Skydive
Mr Henly, an experienced parachutist with more than 150 jumps under his belt, was seen to break away from a formation of parachutists who jumped from a plane at 2,000 feet.

Skydiving expert Kieron Brady told how the soldier lost control after flying away from the landing area in an "unsafe manoeuvre."

Mr Brady, vice-chairman of the British Parachute Association, said that halfway through the descent Mr Henly flew away towards the town of Empuriabrava near the French border.

He told the inquest: "The handling of the parachute as it descended closer to the ground was radical and erratic. It was a manoeuvre inconsistent with safe practice."

Skydiving holidays

The inquest heard that the parachute spiralled into the ground and Mr Henly died instantly from multiple injuries including a torn major artery.

Mr Henly, of Rhiwbina, Cardiff, was based at army barracks in Aldershot at the time of the tragedy.

The soldier - who had won a General Service Medal for service in Ulster - spent his holidays skydiving all over the world.

After the hearing, his sister Amanda Culver said: "It would have been typical of him to break away and go sightseeing over the town.

"Apparently it was common practice with divers at the flying school. Carl was a larger than life character - he loved parachuting, it was his life."

During his army service, Mr Henly had visited Belize, Kenya, America and Canada on exercises.

He had recently returned to the Welsh Guards following an attachment with the School of Infantry at Warminster in Wiltshire.