Parachutists killed in midair over Lake Elsinore

LAKE ELSINORE, Calif. (KESQ) - Two skydivers making a simultaneous jump over Lake Elsinore today collided on the way down, suffering fatal injuries.   

The midair collision was reported at 11:50 a.m. Friday in the airspace over Skydive Elsinore, near the intersection Corydon Road and Cereal Street, at the south end of the lake, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.

"We're not commenting at this time,'' a Skydive Elsinore spokeswoman told City News Service. "If we do post any comments, it will be on our Facebook page. Operations have been shut down for the day.''

Riverside County Fire Department crews were sent to the area after receiving reports of the impact. Personnel discovered the two skydivers, whose identities were not disclosed, with life-threatening injuries. It was unclear whether either was conscious.

They were taken to nearby Inland Valley Medical Center in Wildomar, where both died Friday afternoon, according to published reports.   

It was unclear whether the parachutists were seasoned or beginners, and there was no word whether they were attempting any sort of maneuvers. The department did not provide a description of either party.   

Northeast winds have been present all day in the Inland Empire, gusting to 20 mph around March Air Reserve Base, about 14 miles east of Lake Elsinore. It's unknown if wind was a factor in the incident.

Skydive Elsinore operates out of an unpaved airfield that's generally only utilized by the business. The number of jumps per day depends on the number of customers.