Local student and instructor killed in skydiving accident identified

MARSTONS MILLS, Mass. (MyFoxBoston.com) -- A skydiving instructor and student were both killed in a parachuting incident on Sunday in Cape Cod.

Instructor Eldon Burrier of Washington, 48, and student Andrew Munson of Nantucket, 29, were jumping in tandem when they landed beyond the intended landing area at Cape Cod Airport and hit the property across the street at 885 Race Lane, officials say.

John Theriault lives with his wife at the home on Race Lane. They say they found the men on the ground next to their barn. Police suspect the skydivers hit the barn and then the ground.

Theriault said he did the best he could "just to keep them comfortable until rescue came."

Fire and ambulance personnel arrived on scene and brought both individuals to Cape Cod Hospital. A Medflight helicopter was requested to be on standby for possible transfer to a trauma center.

The instructor was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital and the student died shortly afterward.

Burrier was a veteran skydiver, but that jump was Munson's first.

Burrier is from Washington state; he had a new wife and they loved traveling. Munson moved to Nantucket from western Mass. 10 years ago and fell in love. He was a service technician at Don Allen Ford. Owner Bill Tornish says Munson was well liked and always on the go. His friends and co-workers still cant believe that this happened.

SkyDive Barnstable released a statement saying that they are not ready to comment, but their hearts go out to the families.

So far, there have been 23 skydiving deaths in the US this year. The investigation into this crash remains ongoing.

Cox Media Group