Sky News: Man, 49, dies taking part in skydive at Dunkeswell Aerodrome in Devon
The latest coverage identified under sky news centers on a fatal skydive at Dunkeswell Aerodrome in Devon, where emergency services attended after concerns for a male skydiver and a 49-year-old man was confirmed dead. The development matters because officers remain at the scene and inquiries are ongoing into what happened.
Sky News: What emergency crews found at Dunkeswell Aerodrome
Police were called to Dunkeswell Aerodrome, near Honiton, at about 13: 00 GMT on Saturday after concerns for the welfare of a male skydiver. Emergency services attended the scene and a 49-year-old man was confirmed deceased. The man’s family have been informed. Officers remain at the scene, police are guarding the area, and enquiries into the incident are ongoing.
Sequence and immediate response
- Call time: about 13: 00 GMT on Saturday; also described as just before 1pm on Saturday 28 February.
- Responders: police and ambulances attended the aerodrome.
- Outcome: a 49-year-old man was confirmed dead and his family notified.
- Current status: officers remain at the scene and enquiries are ongoing; the scene is guarded by police.
Background: previous fatal tandem jump at the same airfield
The recent death comes less than a year after a separate fatal tandem jump at Dunkeswell Aerodrome. On 13 June 2025, skydiving instructor Adam Harrison, 30, and Belinda Taylor, 48, who was strapped to him in a tandem jump, died when their parachute failed to open. Harrison was from Bournemouth and Taylor was from Totnes, Devon. They suffered multiple injuries after their skydive from 15, 000ft (4. 6km). The skydiving company that organised that tandem jump later went into administration.
Dunkeswell Aerodrome: site profile and activities
Dunkeswell Aerodrome is a former RAF site located in the Blackdown Hills area of Devon, close to the county's border with Somerset. The site was originally built to be a US naval base during World War Two and is claimed to be the highest licensed airfield in the UK at 839ft (256m) above sea level. Alongside skydiving, activities on offer at the aerodrome include Spitfire flight tours, wing-walking and flight training for aircraft; other activity listings reference helicopter training as well.
What’s next in the inquiry
Police enquiries are ongoing into the circumstances of the 49-year-old man’s death. Officers remain at the aerodrome while investigators work to establish what happened. Details that are unclear in the provided context will be part of the ongoing enquiries and may be updated as investigations progress.
The incident has renewed attention on operations at Dunkeswell Aerodrome, following the earlier tandem-jump tragedy and the subsequent administration of the skydiving company involved in that event.
