Skydiving firm to reopen at Mission Beach

The firm behind a suspected mid-air collision that caused three skydivers to fall to their deaths in north Queensland is anticipating reopening its operations.

The firm involved in a suspected mid-air collision that caused three skydivers to fall to their deaths in north Queensland plans to soon reopen its operations at Mission Beach.

Two male instructors and a local woman died at Mission Beach, south of Cairns, on Friday afternoon

In a message to shareholders on Monday, Skydive The Beach chief executive Anthony Ritter said the company was providing counselling to its staff and planned to reopen its Mission Beach operations.

"We look forward to recommencing operations shortly so that the Mission Beach team and the Mission Beach community can move forward together and continue adventure tourism."

Skydive Australia has suspended activities at Mission Beach while authorities try to piece together what led to the deaths of instructors Peter Dawson, 35, and Toby Turner, 34, and 54-year-old local woman Kerri Pike.

Investigators are calling for anyone with footage of the tragedy to contact them.

One instructor was found in a backyard at Mission Beach while the pair on a tandem dive were found in a tree about 1.5 kilometres from the regular landing zone.

Authorities believe the solo skydiver may have collided with the tandem skydivers in mid-air, with their parachutes failing to open properly.

The relevant authority, Australian Parachute Federation, is investigating the tragedy and will provide a report to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.

Shares in Skydive The Beach, which owns Skydive Australia, had fallen five cents, or 6.41 per cent, to 73 cents at midday on Monday.


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Source: AAP



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