Once-In-A-Lifetime Jump Turns Into Near-Death Plunge For British Tourist In Las Vegas

They always say what goes up must come down, but nobody expects it to come down this hard. British daredevil Mitchell Deakin certainly didn’t when his dream trip to the U.S. turned into a nightmare, thousands of feet in the air.

Tourists flock to Las Vegas for the neon lights, free drinks, and gambling, but one British traveller decided to “soar” right above the desert in Nevada, booking a tandem skydiving trip. 25-year-old Mitchell Deakin’s supposedly exciting thrill turned quickly when both his main chute and reserve parachute failed to deploy properly mid-air.

The horror unfolded within seconds of stepping out of the plane. While the main chute did deploy, it did so incorrectly, and Deakin’s emergency parachute was an even bigger disappointment. Witnesses say that the slide on the reserve chute became jammed, and the parachute failed to open. As a result, Deakin and his instructor began a freefall tumble that they were unable to slow down or control, and they dropped at speeds of up to 45mph before landing violently in the desert terrain below.

After being airlifted to hospital in a Las Vegas trauma unit, Deakin was diagnosed with “multiple injuries” including a “broken pelvis, broken ribs, a punctured lung, kidney damage, and additional injuries as a result of the impact.” Amazingly, the adrenaline junkie was not only conscious but vocal about his injuries, and as any GenZ’r would do, took to Facetiming from his hospital room in the hours after the accident to post a photo of his bruised and battered torso, and thank all the people who wished him well.

Mitch Deakin somehow also found the strength to blow out the candles on his birthday cake just four days later, when he turned 25, still in the care of Nevada medical teams. Speaking to the press, Deakin’s mum, Janine, told reporters that the young man was managing to walk with the support of a frame, but mainly has been able to sit in a recliner during his time in the hospital. His home town in Lytham St Annes, is supporting Deakin with a host of fundraisers and get-well-soon parties, while his girlfriend Isabel has set up a GoFundMe page, which has raised over £16,000 in donations. The money will no doubt help with the U.S. hospital’s ever-growing costs, and will, hopefully, make his eventual flight home that little bit more comfortable.

The FAA is now looking into what went so tragically wrong, and is currently carrying out an investigation as to why and how the equipment malfunctioned in mid-air. Deakin made the trip to Las Vegas to feel the wind in his hair. He nearly went up in smoke instead. In a turn of events that’s more Top Gun than Expedia, Mitchell Deakin survived a 11,000-foot tumble down to Earth, and for that – it’s something to celebrate being alive for.