Free Republic

A skydiver died after falling 13,000ft because his parachute had been tampered with, a senior detective said last night. Police have launched a major inquiry into who handled Stephen Hilder's equipment immediately prior to his jump. The 20-year-old, an officer cadet at the Defence Academy in Shrivenham, near Swindon, Wiltshire, was taking part in an annual national parachuting competition. University students from across the UK had travelled to an airfield at Hibaldstow near Brigg, Humberside, to take part. The head of the inquiry, Detective Superintendent Colin Andrews of Humberside Police, described Mr Hilder's death as "horrendous". "The parachute equipment had...