Skydiver survives 13,000ft fall... by landing in a bog

Lucky escape ... Liam recovers in hospital after cheating death in huge fall

A SKYDIVER whose parachute failed to open miraculously survived the 13,000ft fall — after a bog saved his fall.

Brit dad-of-two Liam Dunne, 35, broke his back after dramatically crashing into the ground at high speed and landing in the muddy area.
His reserve parachute opened at the last moment on the horrifying descent at a festival in Moteuko, New Zealand, but it was still too late to prevent him suffering serious injury.
Liam, originally from St Annes, Lancs, was treated at the scene by medics and taken to a specialist spinal unit in Christchurch where doctors have advised him he should be able to walk again.
Since the accident two weeks ago, he has astonished doctors with his recovery after undergoing surgery to insert metal pins into his shattered spine.
Speaking from his hospital bed, Liam said: “Those last 1,000ft it was like, ‘Here we go, this is it.’ It wasn’t nice. But that said, it was a one-in-a-million accident and a one-in-a-million save.

Serious injury ... the fall broke Liam's back

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"Skydiving is an awesome sport, and I’ve done 4,000 jumps and never had a problem.”
Liam, who now lives in Taupo, said his canopy opened normally after he jumped from 3,900m at a festival. But he went into an unrecoverable spin, had to ditch his main chute, and couldn’t find the reserve canopy’s handle.
It finally opened just 228m from the ground.
He said: “As my reserve chute was coming out I realised it was too late, so I just braced for the impact.
“Luckily I hit the softest patch of ground on the whole airfield. I bounced hard and my whole left side went numb.
“It felt like I had broken every bone in my body, and I couldn’t breathe. I was just sitting there dying. But my friend landed next to me, and she said, ‘You’re all right, you can breathe.’

Experienced ... Liam has done over 4,000 jumps without a hitch

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“She looked at my leg and said, ‘Look, it’s still there, it’s not deformed or anything.’
“She was with me the whole time. Then the ambulance came and filled me full of drugs.
“I probably ought to be dead the speed I hit. Twelve weeks of spinal rehab and I’ll be fine.
“It is early days so I am trying to focus on the positives. Chances are I am going to walk again. The fact I am alive is what I need to hold on to.”
Liam is an experienced skydiver who runs a skydiving company and emigrated to New Zealand with his wife Sally in 2005.
He jumped from the plane in good weather conditions but the main parachute failed to activate.

Overjoyed ... Liam cannot believe his luck

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An eyewitness at the event described how Liam “hit the ground hard” and bounced several times with much of the impact taken by the damp undergrowth.
Liam was airlifted to hospital and his condition has improved since the accident happened on August 17 but he is expected to spend at least three months in rehab.
Liam said: “The hardest part is a horrible feeling of utter dependence.
“But I am totally and utterly blown away by all the messages of love and support.”
His parents, Jim and Lesley Dunne, from Ireland, have flown to New Zealand to be at their son’s bedside.
The New Zealand Parachute Industry Association has launched an investigation into the incident.