US Navy file photo
A member of the U.S. Navy’s skydiving team, the Leap Frogs, died on Sunday afternoon after his parachute malfunctioned during a Fleet Week airshow in Jersey City, N.J., the Navy has confirmed. The skydiver, whose name has not been released, landed in the Hudson River and was immediately retrieved by U.S. Coast Guard members who were standing by in vessels in support of the event. He was taken to a hospital and declared dead. His main parachute, which had become separated from the jumper during his descent, was found in a nearby parking lot. The rest of the team landed safely in Liberty State Park.
One spectator told The New York Times that few spectators were aware of any problem with the team, because buildings blocked the view of the water. The last fatal accident for the team was in 2015, according to The New York Times, when Master Sgt. Corey Hood, of the Army’s Golden Knights parachute team, was killed during a joint demonstration with the Leap Frogs in Chicago. The team has been performing since 1964. Officials from the Navy are investigating the accident.
