Belinda Taylor’s devasated partner Scott Armstrong told how his ‘adrenaline junkie’ girlfriend had opted to more than double her jump height before a Devon skydive on June 13
A mum-of-four who tragically died in a botched skydive decided to double her drop height just moments before embarking on the activity that would result in her death.
Belinda Taylor, 48, died in a horror fall following a tandem jump on Friday while her helpless partner Scott Armstrong – who bought the experience for her – watched on. The mum died alongside her instructor after decided to jump 15,000 feet from a plane after taking off from a Devon airfield, but they were initially meant to plummet just half that distance. Mr Armstrong told The Mirror his “adrenaline junkie” girlfriend had initially wanted to jump from 7,000 feet, but changed her mind in a “last minute” decision.
Mum’s final days before fatal skydiving fall from haunting joke to last-minute switch
He told the Mirror he had bought the experience for the mum, who died instantly following the fall, as a thank you after she welcomed his nine-year-old son to their shared home “with open arms”. He said: “Belinda was my absolute world. She was so kind and giving and would do anything for anyone.
“My nine-year-old son recently came to live with us and she welcomed him with open arms and was brilliant. As a thank you present I decided to buy her the tandem skydive. She was absolutely buzzing about it.”
Mr Armstrong said the experience initially entailed a 7,000 foot jump, but he plumped up the cash for a higher 15,000 feet jump after she decided to double the distance. He said: “The plan was to do a 7,000ft jump, but at the last minute she said she wanted to do a 15,000ft one, so I paid the extra money. They were the last group to go up.”
The dad also travelled to Dunkeswell Airfield to watch his partner enjoy the fall, and was following with a pair of binoculars when he noticed the tandem jumpers’ parachute failed to open. After “freaking out” he raced to trace their trajectory before finding his partner and his instructor still together and “clearly dead” after hitting the ground.
He said: “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. I found Belinda and the instructor lying there, still together, both clearly dead. It was a horrific sight.
The dad added: “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.” Authorities are investigating the cause of the tragic accident.
Emergency crews were called to the airfield near Honiton following concerns for the welfare of two people. Devon and Cornwall Police said: “It was reported that they were skydivers. They were sadly both confirmed deceased at the scene and their families have been informed.
“Scene guards remain in place and enquiries are ongoing by the relevant agencies.”
