What Happened When Apoorva Lakhia's Parachute Failed to Open?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Apoorva Lakhia faced a life-threatening situation during a skydiving experience.
- Proper training is essential in extreme sports.
- Calmness and quick thinking can save lives in emergencies.
- Understanding equipment functionality is crucial for safety.
- Adventure sports come with inherent risks that must be acknowledged.
Mumbai, July 6 (NationPress) Director Apoorva Lakhia, acclaimed for his works such as ‘Shootout at Lokhandwala’ and ‘Haseena Parkar’, experienced a shocking incident during a skydiving expedition.
In a recent episode of Cyrus Broacha’s podcast, he recounted the harrowing moment when his parachute failed to deploy, leading to a significant injury to his leg.
He explained, “This incident took place in Thailand. When you leap from 14,000 or 16,000 feet, the parachute is supposed to open, and a test is required. There are dongles on both sides that act like a steering mechanism. Initially, you pull left to turn left, then right to turn right, and finally, you pull for the brakes. However, when I attempted the left pull, the dongle came out of my hand, leaving me without a way to safely land.”
He continued, “I thought I was done for. But I remained calm because we've been trained to manage panic. The alternative plan is to release the original parachute and deploy the reserve. The issue was my original parachute was tailored to my weight of 100 kgs, with the parachute itself rated at 280 kgs. Conversely, the spare parachute was designed for my weight, causing me to fall much faster. Ultimately, I hit the ground hard.”
The director concluded with an injured foot but made a swift recovery.