Aside from reports disclosing details about the death of an experienced skydiver, a public support group on Facebook has sent condolences to the late woman’s parents.
A 32-year-old woman named Jade Damarell lost her life in a tragic skydiving incident around 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, April 28, 2025, in Shotton Colliery, near Peterlee in County Durham. According to reports, Damarell had been skydiving with two others during a jump organized by Sky-High Skydiving Peterlee.
The group had aimed to land at a designated airfield nearby, but emergency services were called to Fleming Field Farm, less than half a mile from the intended landing zone, where the group ultimately touched down.
According to Sky-High Skydiving Peterlee, the late 32-year-old was a “valued member” of their community. In a statement, the center expressed its sorrow, saying the event had left a profound impact on everyone who knew her.
They added, “Our thoughts are with her family and friends as they face this unimaginable loss,” and asked for privacy and compassion during this time.
Damarell, a marketing manager and seasoned skydiver known to have completed over 400 jumps, was deeply embedded in the skydiving community and had a strong passion for the sport. In the days leading up to her death, she had reportedly completed 11 jumps and was said to have done around 80 this year alone.
She was also pursuing her pilot’s license, reflecting a life full of adventure, ambition, and courage. Though her life appeared full of activity and involvement in a beloved community, those closest to her are now reeling from a loss that appears to have been intentional.
Close friends of Damarell have shared heartbreaking accounts. One said, “This wasn’t a skydiving accident – we believe she intended to take her life, sadly.”
Describing the incident in detail, the same friend explained, “She skydived with someone else, broke off and turned onto her back and impacted.”
It was further confirmed, “She chose not to open her parachute and she landed on her back.” In line with these statements, a spokesperson for Sky-High Skydiving stated, “All indications from the police and British Skydiving are that this was a deliberate act taken to end her own life.”
In the months before her death, Damarell had been navigating significant personal changes. Friends revealed that she had recently separated from her husband, whom she married in 2019, and had since begun a new relationship.
After her separation, she had moved into shared lodgings in Shotton since the end of last year (2024). The home, popular with skydivers traveling from across the country, included bunk beds for short stays, but Damarell rented a double room, which she shared with a man she referred to as her “boyfriend.”
Durham Constabulary has confirmed that Damarell’s death is not being treated as suspicious, and a file has been submitted to the coroner. An inquest will be scheduled in due course. Meanwhile, tributes have poured in from loved ones and the wider skydiving community. Her parents, Andrew and Elizabeth Samuel, shared a touching tribute, describing their daughter as “a brilliant, beautiful, brave and truly extraordinary person.”
They remember her as a vibrant and warm soul, full of energy, love, and determination, admired professionally for her creativity in marketing and personally for her adventurous spirit. The Samuels also took the moment to extend gratitude to emergency responders and urged anyone struggling with mental health to seek help, saying, “You are never alone.”
Sky-High Skydiving echoed this sentiment, expressing deep sorrow over the loss and reminding others that support is available. Wreford’s Farm, on whose land the tragedy occurred, offered their prayers for Damarell and her family, asking for privacy as everyone comes to terms with the incident.
The tragedy adds to a somber history of skydiving accidents in the area. In April 2024, 46-year-old Sam Cornwell died at the same airfield after his parachute failed to deploy. He had been working as a videographer for the same skydiving center.
An earlier incident in September 2016 saw 49-year-old Pamela Gower from Hebburn lose her life during a charity jump organized by the Peterlee Parachute Centre.
Nigel Wreford, who works at Wreford’s Farm, described the moment his wife, who was alone at the time, witnessed the aftermath. Around 10:30 a.m., she saw one of the surviving jumpers in a distressed state approaching the house. The man was incoherent and told her that an accident had occurred, and he needed to get away.
Wreford explained that the farm’s fields serve as an emergency landing zone for the skydiving center and that such activity is common when weather permits. He recalled seeing parachuters daily and noted that safety procedures such as dummy drops are typically done before any jump.
Additionally, he mentioned that this is the fifth skydiving-related death he is aware of in the area over the past few decades. When he arrived at the scene, he saw police, ambulance personnel, and crime scene officers already in place.
Representatives from the skydiving center also attended at the request of authorities and confirmed the deceased was part of the parachuting community. Local reactions reflect the deep sense of shock and sadness surrounding the incident.
One nearby resident, who previously worked for the skydiving center, described seeing numerous emergency vehicles rushing past her home toward the site. She spoke anonymously, recalling how well safety checks were enforced at the center, and noting that while such tragedies are rare, they remain deeply unsettling when they do occur.
The community continues to mourn the loss while reflecting on the inherent risks of a sport that, despite its thrill, carries significant dangers. In the wake of Damarell’s passing, a support group on Facebook shared a touching message for her parents. In their post, the group expressed heartfelt condolences and offered strength to the Samuels as they navigate their profound loss.
Accompanying their words was a simple yet poignant image: A lit white candle flanked by a dark purple one, with two red roses laid in front. The background was dark, enhancing the solemn tone, and the photo included overlaid text.
Prior to her tragic demise, a 2024 Facebook post shared by a man named Mike Needham highlights how giving and enmeshed in the skydiving community Damarell was. The post shows her seeming involvement in a charitable skydiving effort aimed at raising funds to help someone named Kirk receive a much-needed wheelchair.
Attached to the post was a collage of images, one of which depicts Damarell in a group selfie with three other smiling individuals.
At this time, we wish to extend our most heartfelt condolences to the Samuels, Damarell’s friends, other family members, the skydiving community, and all of her loved ones, as they mourn such a significant loss. We hope for their healing amid their time of grief. RIP, dear Damarell.
