Man Dies in Parachute Accident in Kuopio

A man born in the 1990s died in a skydiving accident at Kuopio Airport on Tuesday afternoon. Police reported the fatality, which occurred at the Rissala airfield.

The deceased was an active hobbyist with approximately 300 previous jumps. Tuesday's jump was his 70th of the year, initiated from an altitude of 3,500 meters aboard a Cessna 182 aircraft.

According to the Finnish Aviation Union's parachute committee, the jump proceeded normally through freefall, parachute deployment, and steering until the final landing phase. The skydiver intended to perform a "swoop," a high-speed landing maneuver where the parachute is steered to gain vertical speed just before touching down, allowing for a long glide close to the ground.

The parachute used was 120 square feet. The weather was clear and calm at the time of the incident. The equipment was visually sound and familiar to the skydiver. Several witnesses observed the event. Police have launched a death investigation and will not provide further details.