Police probe skydive death as murder

POLICE in Belgium are investigating a high-altitude murder mystery involving a skydiver who fell to her death in an apparent “crime of passion” over a lover, prosecutors said yesterday.

Els van Doren, 37, fell 13,000ft to her death last November after her parachute and emergency chute failed to open.

Police believe someone tampered with her parachute, and have opened a murder investigation, said Michel Zegers at the Tongeren prosecutor’s office.

Fellow skydiver, Els Clottemans, 22, was detained for questioning and is the “prime suspect”, Mr Zegers said. No charges have yet been filed.

Investigators believe Ms Clottemans and Ms Van Doren, who belonged to the same parachute club and were friends, also dated the same man, a Dutch national identified as “Marcel”.

News reports say Ms Clottemans killed Ms Van Doren in a jealous rage after learning Ms Van Doren had an affair with her boyfriend.

“I believe we can call this a crime of passion,” Mr Zegers said.

A court date is set for February 16.

Police have video footage of the fateful jump — taken by Ms Van Doren herself as she tried desperately to open her parachute. She crashed to her death at 208km/h near Opglabbeek, a small town in central Belgium.