#Skydiver struggles to untangle parachute in harrowing plunge

A professional skydiver had the closest call of his life when both his primary and backup parachutes failed to expand at several thousand feet in the air.

The daredevil known as Boo Dacious shared the harrowing details of what could easily have been the last jump of his life — if he hadn’t entangled himself in a tree just before hitting he ground.

He shared a clip of the scary jump — which occurred last November in Deland, Florida, on social media — in which the diver can be heard screaming, cursing and struggling to open his chute.

“What it feels like to survive a double parachute malfunction uninjured,” he wrote over the video on TikTok, shot with a dizzying fish-eye lens against Claude Debussy’s tranquil movement “Clair de Lune.”

“Malfunctions are common in skydiving; however, the double parachute malfunction is feared, and to experience one and survive is few and far between,” he continued.
“To survive unscathed without a scratch is unheard of, and that’s what happened here to me.”

“Anything that could go wrong went wrong and everything that I needed in my favor to walk away from it, went my way,” the skydiver of 15 years later told the Daily Mail.

In the US, skydiving fatalities occur at a rate of 0.39 per 100,000 jumps, according to the most recent data provided by the US Parachute Association. In 2020, the number of deaths was 11 out of 2.8 million jumps.

He originally shared the video on Valentine’s Day via Facebook, along with a heartbreaking message — especially to fellow extreme athletes.

“Happy Valentine’s Day to all the lovers, stay present, be kind to others, and tell the people who matter most in your life that you love them,” he said.

The excruciating three-minute video has shocked viewers, who called the clip “insane,” “terrifying” and “hard to watch.”

“My heart was racing,” wrote one of his followers.

“You have a guardian angel,” insisted another.

Others praised the veteran jumper for revealing the disturbing moments that nearly led to his death: “Thanks for sharing your story it will help others be more safe.”

The diver shared his thoughts on what caused the issue, explaining in a caption on Instagram that he’d possibly packed his chute incorrectly — using a common but apparently not recommended “hot dog” fold instead.

“Hot dog fold never failed in 1100+ jumps, however never again!” he wrote, with the additional warning: “Please learn from my mistake and consider and KNOW which [safety] sequence you would follow in this malfunction.”

He added that his focus on emergency protocol consumed him in that moment.

“Death never crossed my mind,” he said. “Processing each moment to the next took every bit of concentration. Couldn’t even think of loved ones.”

Boo Dacious recalled his “state of shock” when he eventually did hit the ground.

“I touched earth in a kneeling position as if I was praying,” he told the Daily Mail.

“A tree was nearby and may have helped disperse energy, but I literally hit the earth feet first and then to my knees,” he added.

He also assured everyone that he wouldn’t be deterred by his close call.

“I am humbled and grateful to everyone that had to witness what many felt was a completely dire situation for anyone to get out of,” he said. “I am walking proof to never give up!”