Two soldiers critically injured in parachute accident over Homestead. Another is serious.
Three U.S. Army soldiers were seriously injured in a parachute accident over Homestead Air Reserve Base early Tuesday morning, according to the military.
All three were flown to Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital after Miami-Dade Fire Rescue answered a 4:06 a.m. call.
As of Tuesday evening, all remain in the hospital. Two of the soldiers are in critical condition and one is in serious condition, said Kelli Brand, director of public affairs with U.S. Army Recruiting Command.
The soldiers are members of the Golden Knights parachute demonstration team, which is based in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, but spends its winter in Homestead.
They were conducting “night operations” when something went wrong during free fall around 4 a.m., said Donna Dixon, a civilian staffer with the Golden Knights.
The details of the accident, the soldiers’ identities and the extent of the injuries have not been released pending notification of the victims’ families.
Sgt. 1st Class Robert Dodge, an Army spokesman, said the accident is under investigation.
The Golden Knights are under the Army’s Recruiting Command. They can be seen skydiving at events nationwide, including college bowl games, professional sporting events and parades.
This story was originally published February 12, 2019 at 7:49 AM.
