WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT: Belinda Taylor and her instructor died after plummeting 15,000ft to the ground at an airfield in Devon on Friday – her son has shared the chilling joke she made before the skydive
The son of a mum who plunged to her death during a tandem sky dive has shared a chilling joke she made before the dive that claimed her life.
Belinda Taylor was killed instantly along with her instructor when they plummeted 15,000ft to the ground at Dunkeswell Airfield in Devon on Friday. Her partner Scott Armstrong bought the skydive as a thank you present for his “adrenaline junkie” girlfriend. The tandem jump was part of the skydiving programme from Skydive Buzz who carry out regular skydiving activities at the airfield
He told the Mirror how he saw the tragedy unfold and later found the 48-year-old’s body in a field at Dunkeswell Airfield. Scott 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.”
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Belinda, from Totnes, had three adult sons and a teenage daughter and was also a grandmother-of-two. The 48-year-old’s son, Elias, 20, said she had become more ‘adventurous’ after meeting her new boyfriend Scott Armstrong, who brought the jump for her as a present. Elias described his mother, 48, as ‘selfless’, telling MailOnline: “She really just put everyone above herself. It’s really difficult for (younger sister) Emily as she was the one living there with mum. 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.”
Chief executive of British Skydiving, Robert Gibson shared a statement following the tragic deaths and said: “Today, Friday 13 June 2025, British Skydiving has been notified of a tragic accident in which two jumpers lost their lives. Our deepest condolences go to their families, friends and the entire skydiving community.
“A British Skydiving Board of Inquiry will investigate the accident. Once complete, a report – setting out the Board’s conclusions and any recommendations – will be submitted to the coroner, the police, the CAA, the British Skydiving Safety & Training Committee (STC) and any other relevant authorities.
“No further details will be provided at this time. We respectfully ask for privacy for all those affected at this difficult time.”
Authorities are investigating the cause of the tragic incident. 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.”
The Mirror has reached out to Skydive Buzz, which operates out of the airfield, for comment.
