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| Sibson airfield: Skydives resume after parachute death | Sibson airfield: Skydives resume after parachute death |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A Cambridgeshire parachute centre where a man died in a skydiving accident and another was seriously injured has been cleared to re-open. | A Cambridgeshire parachute centre where a man died in a skydiving accident and another was seriously injured has been cleared to re-open. |
| Wine merchant Patrick Sandeman, 53, from Putney, south-west London, was killed and another man is in hospital following the accident on Saturday. | |
| The accident, at Sibson Aerodrome, near Peterborough, is being investigated by the British Parachute Association. | The accident, at Sibson Aerodrome, near Peterborough, is being investigated by the British Parachute Association. |
| It said jumps could now resume at UK Parachuting, based at the airfield. | It said jumps could now resume at UK Parachuting, based at the airfield. |
| Mr Sandeman and another parachutist, a man in his 20s, collided in mid-air about 50ft (15m) above the ground at about 15:30 BST. | |
| The other man was taken by air ambulance to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge with spine and leg injuries but Mr Sandeman was declared dead at the scene. | The other man was taken by air ambulance to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge with spine and leg injuries but Mr Sandeman was declared dead at the scene. |
| He was co-founder of Lea & Sandeman, which began in 1988 and has four shops in London. | He was co-founder of Lea & Sandeman, which began in 1988 and has four shops in London. |
| 'Devastatingly handsome' | 'Devastatingly handsome' |
| Mr Sandeman's business partner, Charles Lea, said he was a "very experienced skydiver". | Mr Sandeman's business partner, Charles Lea, said he was a "very experienced skydiver". |
| Wine critic Jancis Robinson, who writes for the Financial Times, paid tribute to Mr Sandeman, saying "a very bright light has been extinguished". | Wine critic Jancis Robinson, who writes for the Financial Times, paid tribute to Mr Sandeman, saying "a very bright light has been extinguished". |
| "I'm sure I'm not alone in having found Patrick one of the most appealing and entertaining characters in the wine business," she wrote on her website. | "I'm sure I'm not alone in having found Patrick one of the most appealing and entertaining characters in the wine business," she wrote on her website. |
| "A total ornament to the British wine trade, he was a member of the Sandeman family of port and sherry fame, managing to be devastatingly handsome but not intimidatingly so. Charming but not oleaginous. Well informed but engaging. | "A total ornament to the British wine trade, he was a member of the Sandeman family of port and sherry fame, managing to be devastatingly handsome but not intimidatingly so. Charming but not oleaginous. Well informed but engaging. |
| "Our very deepest condolences to his equally delightful wife Katy and their children." | "Our very deepest condolences to his equally delightful wife Katy and their children." |
| Cambridgeshire Police said the investigation would be handled by the British Parachute Association, the sport's governing body, on behalf of the coroner. | Cambridgeshire Police said the investigation would be handled by the British Parachute Association, the sport's governing body, on behalf of the coroner. |
| The BPA said it had instigated a board of inquiry to investigate the accident. | The BPA said it had instigated a board of inquiry to investigate the accident. |
| Officials visited the airfield on Saturday and Sunday, but have now given UK Parachuting permission to re-open. | Officials visited the airfield on Saturday and Sunday, but have now given UK Parachuting permission to re-open. |
| It said a report would then be sent to the Civil Aviation Authority, the police and the coroner, as well as its own safety and training committee. | It said a report would then be sent to the Civil Aviation Authority, the police and the coroner, as well as its own safety and training committee. |
| Reports into fatal investigations were given priority and typically took two to three weeks to produce, it added. | Reports into fatal investigations were given priority and typically took two to three weeks to produce, it added. |
| Tony Butler, the BPA's technical officer, said: "Two parachutists collided and their parachutes entangled. It just looks like a tragic accident. Both were experienced parachutists. | Tony Butler, the BPA's technical officer, said: "Two parachutists collided and their parachutes entangled. It just looks like a tragic accident. Both were experienced parachutists. |
| "We send our sympathies to all the gentlemen's family and friends." | "We send our sympathies to all the gentlemen's family and friends." |
| He said parachuting had a good safety record, with about 250,000 jumps made each year in the UK and an average of one of two fatal accidents a year. | He said parachuting had a good safety record, with about 250,000 jumps made each year in the UK and an average of one of two fatal accidents a year. |
| Sibson Aerodrome has been home to a parachute centre since 1971 and was one of the first civilian drop zones in the country, according to UK Parachuting's website. | Sibson Aerodrome has been home to a parachute centre since 1971 and was one of the first civilian drop zones in the country, according to UK Parachuting's website. |