RCMP continue to investigate what exactly led to the death of a 60-year-old skydiver during the Canadian National Skydiving Championships over the August long weekend.
Around 6 p.m. on Aug. 1, RCMP were called to the Westlock Municipal Airport after an incident involving an experienced skydiver from Edmonton.
“Members of the Westlock RCMP detachment attended the Westlock Municipal Airport due to a sudden death,” said RCMP media relations officer Sgt. Josee Valiquette. “The individual was deceased while performing a jump.
“Our role as police is to investigate the sudden death. The individual was transported to the office of the Medical Examiners where they conducted an autopsy.”
Although foul play has been ruled out, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has yet to determine the official cause of death. It is not yet known if there was some form of equipment malfunction or if there was a medical incident.
“As far as the RCMP investigation, our role is to talk to the people involved, all the witnesses, and I understand that is done,” Valiquette said. “And to see if there is any chance that foul play is involved in this and as far as I’m aware it’s not.”
Valiquette said the RCMP’s role is also to gather evidence and send it off to the right places, which includes military experts who will examine the man’s equipment.
As far as she is aware, Valiquette said, the man’s parachute had deployed.
“It was deployed, though I don’t know at what capacity,” she said.
A spokesperson for Alberta Justice and Solicitor General, the government department responsible for the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, said the government would not be able to comment on the case, but once their investigation is complete, the information will all be handed over to the RCMP.
