A skydiver from Brazil was killed on Monday when he collided with another skydiver above a Florida airport and fell to his death, the Miami Herald reported.
The Deland Police Department identified the dead man as 42-year-old Giulianno Scotti, according to the Herald.
Police said in a social media post that Scotti “collided mid-air” with another skydiver who sustained “minor injuries” and who “was treated on scene by first responders.” The other skydiver’s identity was not released, according to the outlet. (RELATED: 73-Year-Old Skydiver Falls To Death In Arizona After Parachute Fails To Deploy)
A man fell to his death in an apparent skydiving accident at a recreational airport in central Florida, where another parachutist died in 2022. https://t.co/Hp2pLnNmAr
— CBS News (@CBSNews) April 2, 2024
This incident is the second fatal accident to occur at the DeLand Municipal Airport in the last two years, CBS News reported. In 2022, DeLand police reported that another skydiver was killed when his parachute apparently malfunctioned and he fell to his death, according to CBS.
Scotti died due to a “hard landing” after the mid-air collision, according to the Miami Herald. The two jumpers were participating in a program run by Skydive DeLand, The Daytona Beach News-Journal reported.
Skydive DeLand is one of the area’s “leading tourist attractions,” providing services to experienced skydivers as well as novices, the Herald reported.
The accident is currently under investigation by the Volusia County Medical Examiner’s Office, the Herald reported. Scotti, who originally hailed from Manaus, Brazil, described himself on his Instagram page as “BRUS Pro Skydiver, B.A.S.E Jumper, Paramotor Pilot,” according to the Herald.
Scotti’s Facebook followers posted messages of peace and hope for the skydiver and his family. One follower wrote, “Rest In Peace……from Ohio Praying for your family,” while another said, “Rest in Paradise. Praying for your family and friends.”