Final inquest date still to be finalised for death of parachutist in County Durham
A final inquest date is still to be finalised more than two years after a videographer died during a parachute jump.
A final inquest date is still to be finalised more than two years after a videographer died during a parachute jump.
Sam Cornwell, 46, from Hampshire, was filming another skydiver near Shotton airfield in County Durham in April 2024 when his main parachute failed to open properly.
He suffered critical injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene at South West Industrial Estate near Peterlee.
A brief inquest hearing in Crook, County Durham, on Tuesday was told that a “parallel investigation” by
Durham County Council into what happened that day was ongoing.
Coroner Jeremy Chipperfield was told that the jump operators, Sky-High Skydiving, had requested more time to answer the council’s questions.
Mr Chipperfield adjourned the case until June 2 to allow the council to update his coroner’s officer with any relevant information.
In October, the coroner apologised to the mother of Mr Cornwell’s children for delays in concluding the hearing.
He told Leni Boudewijn back then: “A long time has passed and I regret it has not been possible to provide closure before now, but it is necessary to do things properly.”