Skydive woman took her own life, inquest finds

An inquest has found a 32-year-old woman, who died while skydiving the day after her relationship ended, took her own life.

Marketing manager Jade Damarell died after crashing on to farmland near Fleming Field in Shotton Colliery, County Durham on 27 April.

The inquest in Crook heard she was a "very experienced skydiver" but had made no attempt to deploy either her main or reserve parachutes.

Assistant coroner Dr Leslie Hamilton concluded that on the "balance of probabilities" she intended to take her own life and recorded a verdict of suicide.

Resuming the inquest, Dr Hamilton said the sport was one of Ms Damarell's passions and she had completed more than 500 jumps.

The inquest heard weather conditions on the day of her death were good.

A helmet camera, which she had previously used while carrying out jumps, was not used on the day of her death and all her equipment was in working order.

Dr Hamilton summarised a statement from her former partner which said that they "had ended their relationship the night before".

He said that they had met through a shared love of skydiving.

The day before she died, she had completed six jumps safely, the hearing heard.

Ms Damarell, who lived in Caerphilly, in Wales, died as a result of "blunt trauma", a previous post-mortem examination at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Newcastle found.

Toxicological tests were negative for drink or drugs.

Her parents Liz and Andrew Samuel observed the hearing remotely.

After the inquest, her family said: "Our beloved daughter Jade was a brilliant, beautiful, brave and truly extraordinary person.

"A bright, adventurous, free spirit, she lived with immense energy, passion and love and touched countless lives with her warmth and kindness."

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