Video Thai Paratrooper's Life-Saving Move Amid Mid-Air Chute Failure

[snoop1130]

Picture courtesy of ThaiRath

 

In a dramatic moment that underscores the perilous nature of military training, a Thai paratrooper narrowly escaped disaster when his parachute failed to deploy during a routine training exercise. The incident, which took place on May 19 at Vajiravudh Military Camp in Nakhon Si Thammarat province, was captured inadvertently by a jogger who happened to be filming the exercise.

 

Soldiers from the 4th Army's Sichon Special Warfare Training Camp were conducting their annual parachute jumps when a near-calamity struck. As local media man Thewan Ketkaew jogged through the adjacent Somdej Phra Srinagarindra 84 Public Park, he observed the soldiers leaping from a helicopter, their parachutes opening seamlessly – until one did not.

 

The 49-year-old Thewan described the heart-stopping moment to ThaiRath reporters. “One of the parachutes didn’t open, he just plummeted,” he recounted. What followed was a frantic race to the nearby pond, as Thewan feared the worst.

 

A rescue boat was promptly dispatched, finding only the soldier's tangled parachute in the water. However, news soon emerged that the paratrooper, demonstrating textbook composure and quick thinking, had cut himself free from the malfunctioning chute and deployed his reserve, landing safely on the military grounds.

 

A senior officer praised the soldier's actions, affirming that his adherence to emergency protocols saved his life. “This is why we train. His actions were swift and professional, he saved his own life,” the officer stated.

 

Relief washed over fellow paratroopers and commanding officers as the soldier emerged unscathed from what could have been a fatal incident. The reserve parachute has rightfully been credited with preventing a tragedy, while Thewan's footage serves as a sobering reminder of the inherent risks faced by military personnel even during training.

 

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Thaiger 2025-05-20

 

 

[Gottfrid]

Fantastic! A person that can follow procedure.