Soldier hurt in parachute landing during Palaro opening

LEGAZPI CITY, Albay — An Army soldier, who was part of a six-member skydiving team taking part in the opening ceremony for the Palarong Pambansa here, was hurt after he missed the designated landing spot at the Albay-Bicol University Sports Complex here on Sunday afternoon.

Technical Sergeant Alfred Lucas suffered a fracture in the left arm after a gust carried his parachute toward the complex’s swimming pool area, where he hit the pool’s concrete outer edge, Raffy Alejandro, Office of Civil Defense regional director in Bicol.

T/Sgt. Napoleon Sevilla of the Army’s Special Operations Command here said Lucas was supposed to land on a field at the center of sports complex but Lucas failed to control his parachute after a strong wind pushed him toward the swimming pool area at 3 p.m.

Lucas was taken to the Bicol Regional Training and Teaching Hospital.  SFM