Updated at 10:18 p.m. Feb. 26:
A skydiver who died today in an accident near Perris Valley Airport was a Marine who was involved in a training exercise, according to a news report.
Riverside County firefighters were dispatched about 3 p.m. for a report of an injured skydiver at or near 2000 Goetz Road in Perris, according to Jody Hagemann of the Riverside County Fire Department.
The man was declared dead at the scene, Hagemann stated.
The Marine was doing a skydiving exercise with a group from Camp Pendleton, The Press-Enterprise reported.
Base officials confirmed a Camp Pendleton Marine was involved in a training accident Tuesday afternoon.
"The circumstances surrounding the accident are currently under investigation," stated a news release issued by the 1st Marine Division Public Affairs office. "The identity of the Marine will be withheld until the next of kin have been notified. There are no additional details available at this time."
—City News Service and Maggie Avants contributed to this report.
God bless young man and now the clouds are your landing targets. Wasnt the last death a jumper from Australia Army? Took them a week to find him in a wooded area? I don't think anyone ever releases the reason why "something" doesnt work right Amazing :/
Isn't it even more ironic that the US Marines have to use private aircraft to train, because there aren't enough funds to use our own aircraft, but we can send $160 million dollars to Syria's rebels. I would not be surprised if the accident was caused by faulty equipment due to Marine Corp budget cuts. Sleep well fallen hero, even though your government did not appreciate your bravery and service and the press did not think you worthy of the press that they give worthless athletes and movie stars, we your extended family appreciate what you did and thank your immediate family for giving us such a wonderful son. Joe
Skydivers 'train' in groups all the time. The rest of us would call it practice. They try out formations, routines, practice aircraft exits. They time their flying to an extremely fine degree. Perris is a sport skydiving center. The training that goes on there is sport and recreational. Skydivers compete with themselves and with others in all sorts of arenas. Although I'd like to take the government to task for a lot of things, I don't think they are culpable in this instance.
There is only 6 comments of condolences acknowledging this Marines death yet over 300 on a gun control article. That gun control article continues to get 10 more posts a day. Joe, you give us information on practicing jumps I did not know about. I thought training was within the confines of the bases, using Marines equipment and integrated into their daily training on base. Not subletted out to whomever out here in Lake Elsinore. I am with you on how many billions we give away each year to other countries to help them fight rebels, or their drug wars, or feed their hungry because they do NOT take the time to learn to grow and raise their own food. We send supplies out there and people to teach them self preservation but do they use it? No. They are too used to be it flown in from us every week by the US or volunteer agencies we all still support. I against giving away to other countries UNTIL WE ARE SET UP HERE in the USA with no hungry, no homeless, no one without medical/mental care and facilities to house all of them. Our businesses are back on track and able to survive with less taxes and workers compensation costs. When the USA, our military, our people, are standing proud and strong again then I am the first to say help this other country and those people! But we must take care of ourselves FIRST. Also we do not send cash or weapons, military supplies. They will just sell them back to the criminals in the US.