Bond Springer, 32, an experienced skydiver from Boca Raton, Fla., was found deceased in Chester County, S.C., on June 5, after a mid-air collision the night before.
His death has sparked a full blown criminal investigation, WNCN reports, stating that Springer went missing on June 4 right around 7 p.m. after colliding mid-air with another skydiver shortly after jumping from a plane.
The man he collided with landed after deploying his parachute, but suffered a broken leg—Springer’s body was not found until the next morning.
The Charlotte Observer reported that Springer is estimated to have fallen 14,000 feet after the collision, citing the medical examiner—his body was recovered in a wooded area near Skydive Carolina by the Chester Municipal Airport.
Skydive Carolina said the skydivers were doing advanced wing suit maneuvers during the annual CarolinaFest, a skydiving festival hosted by Skydive Carolina, according to WNCN.
“Our community is saddened by the loss of a community member and choose to take this time to remember him quietly,” a Skydive Carolina spokesman wrote in an email to the Observer.
The skydiving company believes there were no equipment malfunctions and says everything appeared normal prior to the collision.
It remains unclear whether or not Springer tried to deploy his parachute.
