Attempted murder arrest over woman's failed parachute Published duration 8 May 2015

media caption Det Insp Paul Franklin: "It was quite miraculous that she survived"

A man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a woman's main parachute failed to open in a 4000ft (1,219m) jump.

The woman, 39, suffered "multiple serious injuries" after plummeting to the ground during a "routine" jump over Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire, on 5 April.

Police said it was miraculous she had survived, after her main chute failed and a reserve only partially opened.

A 35-year-old man was arrested but has since been bailed, police said.

image copyright Wiltshire Police image caption Detectives are particularly looking for "slinks" or soft links, used to connect the canopy to the parachute harness, which were "missing"

Wiltshire Police began an investigation after being alerted by the parachute club at Netheravon Airfield to concerns over what had happened.

Detectives said they were particularly looking for "slinks" or soft links, used to connect the canopy to the parachute harness, which were "missing".

Det Insp Paul Franklin, said the woman, an experienced parachutist, had "very nearly lost her life".

"This woman would have been dead if her chute hadn't partially opened, this meant her descent was slowed enough for her to survive the fall," he said.

The woman was taken to Southampton General Hospital with "multiple fractures throughout her body" and was now recovering at home, police said.