Two Skydivers Killed in Midair Collision Over Lake Elsinore
Two skydivers died Friday after a reported air emergency in Lake Elsinore, in Riverside County, California.
- Deputies responded to the 20000 block of Cereal Street shortly before noon.
- Both skydivers were receiving medical aid on the ground when deputies arrived.
- Both were hospitalized in critical condition and later pronounced dead.
- 50 feet up: witnesses told a KTLA stringer the two collided there.
Why it matters: The cause of the deaths is unconfirmed. Sheriff's spokesperson Lt. Deirdre Vickers declined to say what the air emergency was.
- A skydiving accident in nearby Perris killed one person in May.
- In March 2023, a Lake Elsinore trainee flew into power lines and survived.
How 24 sources split on this story
Where they split: Outlets differ on what is known about the cause: the New York Post reports a midair collision citing witnesses via KTLA, while the Los Angeles Times and USA Today say officials have not explained how the skydivers were injured.
Center coverage, 9 sources: The center sticks to confirmed facts, noting it is not yet clear how the skydivers were injured.
Left coverage, 7 sources: The left covers it as an unexplained fatal incident, stressing official statements and the area's history of skydiving accidents.
Right coverage, 8 sources: The right leads with witness accounts of a midair collision close to the ground.
What’s next: The sheriff's investigation is ongoing, Vickers said, and no further details were available.
- Did the two skydivers collide, as witnesses told KTLA, or did something else happen?
- Who were the skydivers, and which operator, if any, ran the jump?
