A member of the Red Devils has been saved in mid-air by a team-mate after his parachute failed to open properly during an airshow.



The army has launched an investigation into the incident, which took place during the Whitehaven airshow on the Cumbrian coast, where the its freefall display team performed on Friday night.

A soldier taking part in the display, Corporal Wayne Shorthouse, swooped over to catch his struggling team-mate, Corporal Mike French, and brought him in to land safety in the water at Queens Dock.



Footage and pictures circulating on social media show the soldier descending while attached to his team-mate before crashing into the harbour waters.



Parachute Regt Band (@PARA_Band) Great to hear the #RedDevils are all ok after their #parachute drama: http://t.co/Dn5Iu03jcb @RedDevilsOnline pic.twitter.com/Gb4mX8WnuJ

An army spokesman said it was the first time a Red Devils parachute has failed in 25 years.

“We can confirm that there was an incident during the Whitehaven airshow, when a member of the Red Devils display team’s parachute failed to open correctly,” he said.



“A team-mate assisted in his safe landing, both men were unharmed and we are now investigating to find out the cause of the incident.”

The Ministry of Defence later named the two soldiers. Shorthouse is the team’s display coordinator and has made more than 1,350 jumps and French has completed more than 1,500.



Facebook Twitter Pinterest Red Devils describe a life saving mid-air manoeuvre after a parachute failure

Thousands of anxious onlookers saw the stricken parachutist tangled up in his parachute.



Lucy Milne, who was watching the display, told BBC Breakfast: “He was violently kicking his legs and he was trying to get free or trying to manoeuvre. Above him was another man tangled up in his parachute. His parachute was collapsed. They started picking up speed and he was wiggling his legs even more.

“It was amazing how he managed to get in to the water and not hurt himself or the man above him.”

Emzy Lou (@emlou19) So pleased they weren't hurt #RedDevils @RedDevilsOnline pic.twitter.com/PlKzg43EkM

Other spectators spoke of their panic upon seeing the device fail. “Glad to hear both are OK, was awful watching them struggling, especially when they veered off course – until we realised they were purposely targeting the biggest area of water for ditching in to,” Sarah David wrote on Facebook.

Melanie Ryden added: “We felt sick watching them tangled together and falling so fast. So relieved they landed in the water and were unhurt. Well done guys.”

Volunteer Dianne Richardson said it seemed the parachute opened initially, but that something happened as they were manoeuvring in to a stack position.



“To be honest everybody thought they had been tangled up, but it was only afterwards that they found out that one of the guys managed to manoeuvre to safety,” she said.

“There was an audible sigh of relief on the harbour when [the organisers] put the announcement out that they were safe.”

The Red Devils freefall team is made up of 12 serving soldiers from the three battalions of the Parachute regiment, all of whom have to have at least three years experience. The group formed in 1963 and carries out more than 60 displays a year.

Shorthouse, who began his service with 3 Para in 2001, has completed tours in Northern Ireland, two tours of Iraq and three tours of Afghanistan.

French joined the Red Devils in 2010. As well as being part of the flying parachutes squad, he organises all the events in which the public skydive in tandem with members of the team.



