The start of the Virginia Tech spring game took a terrifying turn on Saturday afternoon after a pre-game skydiver slammed into the stadium scoreboard.
Thousands of fans at Lane Stadium watched in shock as the parachutist appeared to be blown off-course by a sudden gust of wind during a routine landing attempt.
The individual was left dangling precariously from the top of the massive video board, suspended high above the field as emergency crews rushed to the scene.
Footage captured by spectators showed the skydiver hitting the structure with significant force before their parachute became entangled in the screen.
The impact was so severe that portions of the scoreboard’s paneling appeared to be ripped away, falling into the empty space below as the stadium fell silent.
The parachutist was eventually rescued by emergency services, before Virginia Tech released a statement providing an update on the situation.
Thousands of fans at Lane Stadium watched in shock as the parachuter appeared to be blown into the scoreboard before Virginia Tech’s spring game
‘We are grateful to report that the skydiver was safely secured and is currently stable,’ Virginia Tech Athletics said via X.
‘Our primary focus remains on their well-being. We extend our sincere appreciation to the first responders, event staff, and medical personnel for their swift, coordinated and professional response.’
This is the second time that a parachuting disaster has occurred prior to a football game this year, following an incident at the Armed Forces Bowl in January.
The scary scenes occurred shortly before kickoff in the Rice-Texas State game, where five parachutists were scheduled to land on the field.
According to video and reports from inside the stadium, only three safely landed where they were supposed to, with one ending up outside the stadium entirely.
It was the fifth jumper that caused the most horrifying scenes, though, as he flew straight into the field goal net cable, where his parachute immediately became tangled.
