British skydiver fractured pelvis, broke ribs in accident near Las Vegas

An online fundraiser to benefit a 24-year-old British man who was critically injured in a skydiving accident outside of Las Vegas has raised nearly $20,000 as of Thursday.

Mitchell Deakin suffered injuries that include a fractured pelvis, broken ribs, a perforated lung and kidney laceration in the Sept. 17 skydiving accident, according to a verified GoFundMe online fundraiser, which had amassed more than £14,700, or over $19,000.

Emily Antuna, a spokesperson for University Medical Center in Las Vegas, confirmed Deakin was being treated there, but added she was unable to disclose his condition at the request of him and his family.

“This has been extremely traumatic for him and his family and friends, as he is so far away from home,” organizer Isabel Clacher, who according to other posts on social media is Deakin’s girlfriend, wrote in the fundraiser’s description.

Clacher wrote on the GoFundMe that the donations raised will go towards his recovery time in America and medical bills, transportation and accommodation. Any leftover funds would be given to charity, Clacher wrote. As of Thursday, the fundraiser had received 544 donations.

Clacher could not immediately be reached for comment via GoFundMe and Facebook.

‘He is really positive’

An update posted Thursday on the fundraiser said Deakin was awake and walking with the assistance of a walker because he couldn’t bear weight on his right leg, and that doctors had discovered several small fractures that had initially gone undetected.

“He is really positive, being looked after by an excellent hospital team and it truly grateful for all your kindness, messages, chats and calls,” the update stated.

According to a Metropolitan Police Department report, a 24-year-old skydiving student and a 54-year-old skydiving instructor — their names were redacted from the report — went into an uncontrollable spin when their parachute malfunctioned and they plummeted into the desert near Jean at upward of 45 mph. The two were strapped together that morning when they jumped from a height of 11,000 feet, the report said.

A witness identified as a different skydiving instructor told investigators he noticed the student and instructor’s parachute was “not working as well as it could have,” according to the report.

The instructor was identified by family friend Mario Viteri as Jiron Arcos Ponce, who according to Antuna remained in critical condition as of Thursday.

Parachute malfunction

The police report said a backup parachute kept the main parachute from fully opening, causing the tandem to go into a spin from which the instructor could not recover, according to the witness. two injured skydivers were airlifted to UMC a short time after, according to Metro’s report.

Nevada law requires skydiving businesses to comply with safety requirements within the United States Parachute Association’s Skydiver’s Information Manual. State law also requires skydiving operators to report incidences resulting in death or serious injury to the association no later than one business day after the accident, but not to any state authorities.

Representatives with the USPA could not be reached Thursday. Metro has deferred further comment to the Federal Aviation Administration.

Steve Kulm, a spokesman for the FAA, said Thursday the matter was still under investigation.

“The FAA investigates the packing of the main and reserve parachutes, and the rules of flight for the pilot and aircraft,” Kulm said via email. “If the FAA does not find any evidence of regulatory violation, it will defer any further investigation of the accident to local law enforcement. The FAA does not determine cause.”

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