Hyderabad youth dies in skydiving accident in Massachusetts

A 28-year-old Hyderabad native, Mani Chandra Teja Gaddam, an ICFAI University alumnus, died in a skydiving accident in Massachusetts after a sudden gust of wind reportedly interfered with his parachute during landing. Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident.

Hyderabad: A 28-year-old Hyderabad native died in a skydiving accident in the United States after a sudden gust of wind reportedly disrupted his parachute during landing.

The victim, identified as Mani Chandra Teja Gaddam, was involved in the accident at Jumptown Skydiving in Orange, Massachusetts, on July 12. According to the victim’s LinkedIn page, Mani Chandra Teja Gaddam was an alumnus of ICFAI University in Hyderabad.

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According to local news outlets in the United States, the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office said emergency responders reached the facility at around 4 pm following reports of a serious skydiving accident. A preliminary investigation revealed that Gaddam fell nearly 30 feet after an unexpected gust of wind interfered with his parachute while landing.

He was rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.

The Massachusetts State Police and the Orange Police Department have launched an investigation into the incident. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will ascertain the exact cause and manner of death.

According to local news portal Boston.com, the accident is the second fatality reported at the skydiving facility within a year. In October 2025, a 62-year-old man from Connecticut died following a midair collision involving two experienced skydivers at the same facility.