Parachutist not keen to relive ordeal

Press, 24 April 1979, Page 3

Parachutist not keen to relive ordeal

PA Rotorua A shaken and badly bruised Rotorua parachutist, Mr David Stockwell, aged 22, was reluctant to talk yesterday about his remarkable escape from death on Sunday, a 40km/h plummet to earth at the end of a tom emergency parachute. Mr Stockwell, resting at his home, simply said: “I’m okay, but it was a shock.” He was the second parachutist to have a brush with death in Rotorua on Sunday. Ms Megan Davies, aged 19, a shop manageress, is recovering in the Rotorua Hospital after suffering whiplash injuries to her spine when she descended on her reserve parachute. Her main canopy had failed to open, and she ■ landed heavily after pulling I the cord on her emergency parachute. Her condition yesterday was satisfactory. Mr Stockwell’s main con-

cern yesterday was for his mother who was upset after hearing of her son’s shave with death.

Experience helped save his life as he plunged downwards, slowed only by onethird of the canopy. “I thought this was it,” Mr Stockwell said, but his landing roll averted serious injury. Mr W. A. Morris was a witness to the drama. He was working under a vehicle when he heard a flapping noise.

“I looked up to see the man and ran inside to ring an ambulance,” said Mr Morris. “I thought he would be smashed to pieces. “My wife and neighbour waited with him until the ambulance arrived,” he said. “He groaned a lot and we thought he might be injured, but he told us that he was all right. “I think he was just relieved to find himself alive,” Mr Morris said.