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Mum, 48 & her skydiving instructor, 30, die in UK after falling 4,600m, parachute allegedly failed to open
The deceased woman had received the jump as a gift from her partner, who watched the tragedy unfold.
June 17, 2025, 02:37 AM
A 48-year-old mother and her instructor died after falling 4,600m (15,000ft) in a skydiving accident in the United Kingdom on Friday, Jun. 13.
According to UK media, emergency services were called to the area of Dunkeswell Aerodrome at around 1pm.
Local police said: "Sadly, two skydivers were both confirmed deceased at the scene and their families have been informed."
Jump was gift from partner
The woman who passed away was identified as Belinda Taylor, a mother of four.
She was reportedly an “adrenaline junkie” and had received the jump as a gift from her partner, who watched the tragedy unfold.
The instructor, who was with her on the tandem jump, was identified as Adam Harrison, 30.
via Adam Harrison social media
He has been a skydiving instructor since 2020, according to The Daily Mail.
Partner watched tragedy unfold
The deceased woman's partner, Scott Armstrong, said in the aftermath of the incident: “The plan was to do a 7,000ft (2,300m) jump, but at the last minute she said she wanted to do a 15,000ft (4,600m) one, so I paid the extra money. They were the last group to go up."
"I was using binoculars and saw them all jump and noticed that one chute hadn’t opened. I was freaking out. They disappeared from view. I jumped in my car with my lad and raced across the fields," he added, according to Manchester Evening News.
He continued: “I found Belinda and the instructor lying there, still together, both clearly dead. It was a horrific sight. I miss her so much. I’m so lost without her. She meant the world to all of us and we’ll never forget her."
"She was an adrenaline junkie and an adventurer. She’d done kayaking and all sorts.”
Son spoke to mum about date of jump
According to The Daily Mail, the late woman's 20-year-old son said his mother had become more "adventurous" after meeting her new boyfriend, Armstrong.
The son added that his mother was looking forward to the jump and had even acknowledged the Friday the 13th superstition.
He said: "I spoke to her a week before it happened. It's kind of weird thinking about it now, but at the time obviously she was saying how the jump would take place on Friday 13th and all those things."
"You don't really expect what happened to happened. She was mentioning it in a jokey way."
Local police and the health and safety office are investigating.
Top photo via Scott Armstrong Facebook
