Veteran Skydiver Dies After Jump in North Carolina

A 24-year-old skydiver with more than 1,800 parachute jumps under his belt died Saturday following a jump in North Carolina.

James Stremmel was a former Marine and an experienced instructor at the Triangle Skydiving Center, where he died after a rough landing during his second or third jump of the day, the center’s owner Gregory Upper told WRAL. “He was setting up for landing and had a problem with the parachute,” Upper said. “We don’t know anything at that point, and he had a hard landing.”

“His whole life was skydiving. This is what he did — skydive,” Upper added. “He was planning to skydive all over the world.”

Stremmel’s sister told ABC 11 the sudden loss has shocked the family. “This was not at all expected,” sister Megan Stremmel said. “The family is holding up as best as possible . . . He was a great guy.”

Deputies and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the death, including whether his parachute deployed properly, according to the Associated Press.