'No equipment failure' in case of 'veteran' skydiver who fell 10,000ft to death, inquest told

22 May 2025, 12:48 | Updated: 22 May 2025, 14:35

An inquest was told that there was "no reason to suspect equipment failure" in the 'veteran' skydiver's death.

Marketing manager Jade Damarell, 32, died instantly after hitting the ground at Wrefords' Farm in Shotton, County Durham during a jump with Sky-High Sky diving.

She was allegedly an experienced parachuter with more than 400 dives under her belt.

At a brief inquest opening hearing in Crook - coroner's officer Alexis Blighe told the court that Ms Damarell was born in Kowloon, Hong Kong, and lived in Caerphilly, Wales.

Ms Blighe said: “I understand the circumstances to be that Ms Damarell was involved in a parachute incident on April 27.”

A port-mortem examination at the Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle, found she had died as a result of "blunt trauma".

Ms Blighe said there was "no reason at all" to suspect "equipment failure".

The full inquest is adjourned until 21 August.

Sky-High Skydiving has said all indications around the "tragic" incident were that it had been "a deliberate act taken to end her own life".

However, locals have appeared to suggest she also left a suicide note behind.

Nigel Wreford, 56, who works on farm nearby, said: “I’ve been told by quite a few people that she knew what she was doing — she had apparently left a suicide note.”

Read more: Probe launched after veteran skydiver dies during jump - with concerns of 'deliberate act'

Read more: Woman dies in skydiving incident after 'parachute malfunction' in County Durham

Another skydiver who did the jump with Ms Damarell arrived at Mr Wreford’s house Sky-High Skydiving near Peterlee, Co Durham.

Mr Wreford said: “My wife was here when it happened and spoke to a parachutist who was coming out of the field.

"You can’t imagine how traumatic it must have been.

"She said he was in a hell of a state. He was very incoherent. It’s horrible. I can’t stop thinking about the girl and her family.”

A friend of Ms Damarell appeared to back this up.

She said: "This wasn’t an accident. We believe she intended to take her life, sadly. She chose not to open her parachute and she landed on her back.”

Another friend claimed she left home and had been staying in accommodation used by skydivers in the village for months, according to MailOnline, living there with a man thought to be her "boyfriend"

"She had been staying in the digs since the end of last year. There are bunk beds for skydivers who come from all over the country to parachute. Jade rented a double room and told us she was staying with her boyfriend. No one is living there now," a source told the outlet.

At the time, a Durham Constabulary spokesperson confirmed: "A woman sadly died following a skydiving incident near Peterlee.

"Police officers and colleagues from the ambulance service were called to the incident in Shotton Colliery at around 10.30am on Sunday.

"Sadly, a woman in her 30s was pronounced dead at the scene. Her death is not being treated as suspicious and a file will now be prepared for the coroner."