The final moments of the two skydivers who fell 50 meters and died in the crash after their parachutes became tangled may have been captured on video. A simple jump with friends turned tragic just meters from Fano Airport, in the province of Pesaro Urbino. The victims, both experienced skydivers, are Violetta Laiketsion, 63, a resident of Rimini, and Ermes Zampa, 70, an instructor from Fano, who leaves behind a wife and two children . The tragedy unfolded this morning before the eyes of several people present near the airfield.
On Violetta's helmet, a videographer, a small video camera was attached: one hypothesis is that the two parachutes became tangled during the flight, perhaps due to a movement or a distraction while filming the jump. According to the reconstruction, four friends took a group "fun jump" this morning at the skydiving school near the Fano airport.
Violetta was accompanied by two of her friends, and Ermes, the skydiving instructor; all of them are experienced jumpers, as evidenced by her social media posts, which include videos of other skydives and her passions for the air (including videos of airplanes), the sea, and cats. Today's jump, however, proved fatal for Violetta and Ermes.
After jumping, about 50 meters above the ground, the wings of the two parachutes collided, causing them to become tangled, preventing the two from freeing themselves. Instead of a smooth landing, the fatal fall ended at Fano Airport, before the eyes of those present, including airport personnel and other parachutists awaiting their flight. The woman's two friends landed safely but likely witnessed the tragedy live. The Carabinieri, coordinated by Pesaro Public Prosecutor Letizia Fucci, are now investigating the fatal accident to reconstruct the events and verify the incident based on witness statements and any footage, especially the latest one shot by Violetta's helmet camera.
After the crash, bystanders rushed to provide first aid. The emergency alarm was raised. Carabinieri officers arrived on the scene to conduct all necessary investigations and secure the area, along with emergency medical personnel, who, however, could only confirm the death of the two paratroopers. The Municipality of Fano, through Mayor Luca Serfilippi, expressed its condolences to the victims' relatives and friends, describing it as "a city struck by painful news."
