UPDATE: A CHERISHED mother is understood to be one of three skydivers who died in a tragic incident at Mission Beach this afternoon.

Well-known Mission Beach identity Kerri Pike, 50, was tandem skydiving with an instructor when it is believed they collided with a solo skydiver and their parachutes failed to deploy.

Mrs Pike is the wife of former Cassowary Coast Regional Councillor Alister Pike, who also runs a charter fishing business in town.

media_camera TCP NEWS: Alister and Kerri Pike outside their Mission beach home.

UPDATE: SKYDIVE Australia has issued a statement after this afternoon’s tragedy at Mission Beach.

“Three people have died after sustaining injuries from a skydiving accident in Far North Queensland,” the company said.

“The incident happened at Mission Beach, south of Cairns, this afternoon.

“One of the deceased, a highly experienced instructor who had completed thousands of jumps, was completing a solo jump.

“The other two were jumping as a tandem pair: a highly experienced instructor and a customer.

“Skydiving operations have been suspended at Mission Beach while the appropriate authorities conduct an extensive investigation.

“The Company extends its deepest sympathies and heartfelt condolences to the individuals and families involved and the broader skydiving community.”

media_camera A police incident tent was set up on Alexander Drive, Mission Beach in Far North Queensland after three people were killed while skydiving. Pic: CHRIS HOLMES, INNISFAIL ADVOCATE

EARLIER: AN eyewitness who watched the skydive tragedy unfold said he could do nothing but watch as a skydiver dropped towards the earth.

“I watched it unfold,” the man, who did not wish to be named, said.

“You could see one chute was tangled and it wasn’t opening.

“I was just watching him in free fall until he went behind the trees, and that was the last I saw.”

The witness said it appeared the skydiver did not activate a backup parachute after the first one failed.

Every person in Mission Beach we have spoken to about #skydive tragedy is absolutely heartbroken. Big industry, well supported by locals — Daniel Bateman (@BatemanDan) October 13, 2017

“I don’t understand how three people could have died, unless someone was trying to catch them,” he said.

“I could understand two, maybe, but not three.

“Unless maybe it was two chutes tangled together that I saw.

“I didn’t see anyone near them, but they were at a fairly high altitude so maybe a collision happened further up.”

media_camera A police incident tent was set up on Alexander Drive, Mission Beach in Far North Queensland after three people were killed while skydiving. Pic: CHRIS HOLMES, INNISFAIL ADVOCATE

He said the mood in town was sombre as residents came to terms with what had happened.

“It wasn’t good to watch. I had my heart in my mouth,” he said.

A police spokeswoman said it was believed a solo skydiver may have collided with tandem skydivers in midair with their parachutes failing to deploy correctly.

“Two men in their 30s and a woman in her 50s were located deceased at the scene,” she said.

“Police investigators and other agencies remain at the scene.

“No further details are available at this stage.”

Queensland Ambulance Service operations supervisor Neil Noble said the skydivers’ injuries were “so severe” that they were declared deceased at the scene.

“It is such a tragic event to have occurred in this community,” he said.

media_camera Three people have died in a skydiving accident at Mission Beach.

EARLIER: Police have declared a crime scene at the area where three skydivers have died at Mission Beach.

It is understood one of the victims was found by a resident in their backyard where he was later pronounced dead by paramedics.

The two others were located soon after where they had become entangled in a nearby tree.

The man and woman were also both pronounced dead.

QAS is on the scene of a skydiving incident at #MissionBeach. — Queensland Ambulance (@QldAmbulance) October 13, 2017

The trio are all aged in their 30s and 40s.

A police spokeswoman said a crime scene had been set up and specialist officers including the Forensic Crash Unit, detectives and scientific officers were being called to the scene.

The area is believed to be a sparsely populated area near the Clump Point jetty turn-off and is understood to be some distance from the normal landing zone for skydivers.

Cassowary Coast Regional Council Division 3 Councillor Wayne Kimberley has described the incident as a “terrible tragedy”.

media_camera A police incident tent was set up on Alexander Drive, Mission Beach in Far North Queensland after three people were killed while skydiving. Pic: CHRIS HOLMES, INNISFAIL ADVOCATE

EARLIER: THREE people have died after a horror skydiving incident at Mission Beach this afternoon.

Emergency services were called after 3pm to Alexander Drive following reports three people had suffered critical injuries.

It is understood the incident involves two men and a woman and at least one of the group is an instructor.

All three were declared dead by paramedics at the scene.

More to come.