TWO EXPERIENCED FEMALE SKYDIVERS, AGED 29 AND 56, KILLED IN HORRIFIC MID-AIR COLLISION WHILE TRAINING FOR RECORD-BREAKING ATTEMPT IN CALIFORNIA

A record-setting dream turned into an unimaginable tragedy Friday, November 6, when two experienced female skydivers lost their lives after a mid-air collision caused their parachutes to become tangled during a training event in Southern California.

The victims were identified as 29-year-old Levi Pimentel of Aurora, Illinois, and 56-year-old Georgia Jean of Box Elder, South Dakota.

Both women were licensed, highly experienced skydivers who had traveled to Skydive Elsinore in Lake Elsinore, California, to participate in an organized event involving approximately 20 female skydivers. The group was reportedly training in hopes of setting a new California record for the largest women’s upright skydiving formation.

What was supposed to be an extraordinary achievement for women in the sport ended in heartbreak.

A TRAGIC COLLISION JUST 150 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND

According to Skydive Elsinore, the accident occurred at approximately 11:45 a.m. Friday.

Witnesses reported that the freefall portion of the jump proceeded normally, and both women successfully deployed their parachutes at the expected altitude.

However, as the skydivers approached the landing area, tragedy struck.

At approximately 150 feet above the ground — roughly 46 meters — the two women collided in midair. The impact caused their parachutes to become entangled, leaving both in a critical situation during the final moments of their descent.

Both women suffered life-threatening injuries when they reached the ground.

Emergency crews and Riverside County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the scene. The victims were transported by ambulance to Inland Valley Medical Center in nearby Wildomar, where both were later pronounced dead.

WHO WERE THE TWO WOMEN?

LEVI PIMENTEL, 29 — A PASSIONATE SKYDIVING INSTRUCTOR

Levi Pimentel, from Aurora, Illinois, was much more than an ordinary skydiving enthusiast.

She had built a career around indoor skydiving and was a lead instructor at iFLY Naperville, where she helped train others in the sport.

Reports indicate that she had completed more than 600 skydives and had previously been involved in setting a women’s head-down formation world record in 2022.

Her experience, dedication and involvement in the skydiving community made her a respected participant in the sport.

GEORGIA JEAN, 56 — A WOMAN WHO HAD COMPLETED MORE THAN 1,700 JUMPS

Georgia Jean, of Box Elder, South Dakota, had discovered skydiving in 2015 and developed a deep passion for the sport.

According to her biography, she had completed approximately 1,700 jumps throughout her skydiving journey.

She was also an accomplished competitor, earning a bronze medal at the 2024 U.S. Parachute Association National Skydiving Championships.

At 56, Jean continued pursuing challenging goals in the sport, joining fellow female skydivers in the effort to establish a new California formation record.

 THEY WERE TRAINING FOR A RECORD-BREAKING ACHIEVEMENT

The women were reportedly part of a group preparing to set a California record for the largest women’s upright formation.

In this specialized skydiving discipline, participants maintain an upright, seated-looking position while falling through the air, creating a coordinated formation.

The training required precision, teamwork, timing and extensive experience.

Another professional skydiver participating in the event described the group jumping from an aircraft and holding hands during the formation attempt.

The initial freefall reportedly went smoothly. However, the fatal collision occurred after the parachutes had opened, as the participants moved toward the landing phase.

The planned record attempt was meant to showcase the skill and achievements of female skydivers. Instead, the event became a devastating loss for the entire community.

INVESTIGATION UNDERWAY — NO EQUIPMENT FAILURE SUSPECTED

Skydive Elsinore stated that there was no indication of an equipment malfunction.

The company said both women were experienced, licensed skydivers visiting from out of town to participate in the organized event.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was notified and is expected to collect the parachutes for further examination as part of the investigation.

Authorities have not established the precise cause of the collision, and it remains unclear whether weather or other factors contributed to the accident.

The investigation is ongoing.

 A COMMUNITY MOURNS TWO WOMEN WHO LIVED FOR THE SKY

In a statement following the tragedy, Skydive Elsinore expressed its deepest condolences to the families, friends and loved ones of both women, saying the organization was grieving alongside everyone affected.

Their deaths have left a painful mark on the skydiving community.

Levi Pimentel and Georgia Jean came from different generations and different parts of the country, but they shared a passion that brought them together thousands of feet above the ground.

They arrived in California with a goal: to push the boundaries of what women could achieve in the sport they loved.

Tragically, they never made it home.

Our hearts go out to their families, friends, colleagues and everyone who knew and loved them. May both women rest in peace.