Elite troops died being sucked out of planes. Critics blame their parachutes.
Story by Kyle Rempfer • 5h ago
A Navy SEAL was killed in 2014, an Air Force commando went missing over the ocean in 2019 and an Army Green Beret will likely lose an arm in 2023. Each experienced a rare but catastrophic accident after their parachutes unexpectedly deployed when hit by wind gusts, violently ripping them out aircraft doors and prompting lawsuits questioning the safety of their gear.
All three were wearing the T-11 reserve parachute, which sits on a jumper’s chest and is pulled if their main canopy fails. Critics argue that the parachute’s fabric ripcord is more sensitive to strong winds than the 50-year-old rig with a metal ripcord that it replaced a decade ago.
While the number of accidents is small, the consequences can be dire. The military knows of the concerns. Evaluators altered the parachute as recently as 2021 to prevent openings from wind blast. Still, critics say small changes haven’t stopped the problems, and the product should be replaced.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/elite-troops-died-being-sucked-out-of-planes-critics-blame-their-parachutes/ar-AA19xWDV?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=608c9fbc528b4d399d27de31a27b1377&ei=12
