Skydiving team claims record formation jump

Skydivers from 31 countries say they have set a new world record of 400 people holding hands in a midair freefall formation.

The record was certified by judges from the Switzerland-based Federation Aeronautique Internationale at the scene, announced the World Team ’06, the informal association of international skydivers who made the attempt over an airfield in Thailand.

“It was beautiful. It was one of my absolute favourite dives of my life,” said World Team skydive director BJ Worth.

He said in order to set the record, “100% of the people in the air have to be holding hands, even if only for a split second.”

The group had failed to completely link up for a measurable amount of time in two earlier jumps today.

They had made three failed attempts on each of the previous two days.

The previous record, of 357 skydivers over Takhli, Thailand, in February 2004, had also been set by the World Team.

The latest attempts were organised to honour Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world’s longest-reigning monarch, who celebrates 60 years on the throne this year.

Five C-130 Hercules planes provided by the Royal Thai Air Force carried the divers, who jumped out of the rear cargo doors at 24,000 feet.

“Some of them have to cover a kilometre of air space to get where they want to be,” said Kevin Gibbon, a spokesman for the group.

Appearing first as tiny specks in the sky, the divers suddenly grasped hands and drifted down as a circular formation for a few seconds. They then broke off and hundreds of parachuting skydivers rained to the ground, their fists in the air and their legs kicking in triumph.

Video and still footage were rushed to three judges on the ground, and they verified that all 400 divers were linked for more than four seconds.

“It was the most amazing feeling,” said Erwin Vanhooydonk, 32, of Utrecht, the Netherlands, holding his parachute and helmet just after landing.

“As we came out of the plane… I could see the whole thing just settle down.”

The formation jump was one of two record attempts by the group: a 960-person mass drop into Bangkok’s yet-to-be-opened new international airport is supposed to take place on Saturday.

The World Team also holds a mass free-fall jump record of 672 unlinked skydivers over Bangkok in January 2004.