On 20 September 2025, a routine skydiving flight over Tully, Queensland, Australia, became a terrifying aviation emergency. A Cessna 208 Caravan (VH-DVS) carrying 17 parachutists and a pilot climbed to about 15,000 feet for a formation jump. At around 10:02 a.m., the first parachutist moved into the front-float position when their reserve parachute handle snagged on the aircraft's wing flap. The reserve deployed while the jumper was still attached to the aircraft, violently dragging them backward. Their legs struck the horizontal stabilizer, damaging the tail, while the parachute wrapped around the stabilizer and elevator. The camera operator was also thrown into freefall and sustained minor injuries. The Cessna Caravan became extremely difficult to control, forcing the pilot to declare MAYDAY. Thirteen parachutists exited the aircraft while the trapped jumper remained suspended beneath the tail. The jumper used a hook knife attached to their chest strap and began cutting the tangled reserve lines. After cutting 11 lines in about 50 seconds, the jumper finally separated from the aircraft. They deployed their main parachute, but the remaining lines initially tangled with it and the canopy began rotating rapidly. The jumper managed to stop the rotation, untwist the lines and regain control. Meanwhile, the pilot continued toward Tully Airport with severely restricted elevator control. At approximately 2,500 feet, the pilot committed to landing. At 10:10 a.m., the damaged Cessna 208 landed safely at Tully Airport. The parachutist landed just nine seconds later. The parachutist also sustained minor injuries, while the other 16 occupants were uninjured. The aircraft suffered substantial damage to its tail. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) later concluded that the reserve-handle snag was the initiating event and highlighted the importance of parachutists being aware of their handles during aircraft exit. What began as a routine Cessna 208 skydiving operation became a fight involving a premature parachute deployment, a damaged aircraft tail and a MAYDAY emergency-but all 18 people survived. Follow for more 🤍. - @daily.network.new