French skydiver gets beheaded by plane's wing moments after jump

40-year-old Nicolas Galy's head was decapitated after he smashed into a plane’s wing just 20 seconds into his jump in the South of France

By Edward Era Barbacena 

In a report by The Times carried by the New York Post, 40-year-old Nicolas Galy's head was decapitated after he smashed into a plane’s wing just 20 seconds into his jump in the South of France. He was one of the two skydivers who were released from the plane at 14,000 feet over the town of Bouloc-en-Quercy in July 2018.

The aircraft’s pilot, identified only as 64-year-old Alain C, subsequently descended the plane until he caught up between him and the skydivers as they were gliding in their wingsuits.

As the distance between them closed, the plane's left wing beheaded Galy before his emergency parachute opened, causing his lifeless body to end up in a field. 

Alain has now been put on trial and is charged with manslaughter. In defense of what happened, he argued in court that the blame lies in the shoulders of the victim, who "did not follow the expected course and should never have been on that course."

The pilot recounted that he had lost track of the wingsuit jumpers and believed that Galy, who has experienced 226 skydiving jumps, was "further south" rather than being parallel to the plane.

“I think my flight path made sense. This has been the tragedy of my life but I am not at fault," Alain asserted.

The 64-year-old pilot, however, confessed that he had not briefed the skydivers and wingsuiters about the jump and acknowledged that there was a possibility that they "can be in conflict with the aircraft." It was also discovered Alain was carrying an invalid license after he violated some restrictions because of an unspecified medical condition.

Alain is now at risk of a 12-month suspension and a fine of more than $10,000 (P567,880) from his employer. The verdict in the manslaughter trial is due in November.