Wayward skydiver dangles from high-voltage power lines in Arizona, rescuers say

A skydiver on a military training exercise in Arizona dangled from high-voltage power lines for hours Friday before being rescued, fire officials say.

The parachute drop involved military personnel from another nation, the New York Post reported. They had intended to land at a private airport near Arizona City.

The wayward parachutist became entangled in power lines south of Arizona City, the Eloy Fire District reported on Facebook. He spent hours awaiting rescue.

“The problem is they are high voltage power lines, distribution lines can carry several hundred thousand volts, so our primary concern was getting the power shut off,” Assistant Chief Robert Maestas told KSAZ. Crews had to keep the man calm during the four-hour wait.

After coordinating with state and local energy officials to cut power to the lines, firefighters still faced problems freeing the parachutist.

“A quick release would have caused a slingshot effect on the power lines already under tension,” firefighters wrote on Facebook.

Using a ladder from a fire engine, firefighters disentangled the man and took him to a hospital for treatment, the post reads.

“He was awake and alert and extremely lucky,” Maestas told KSAZ.

This story was originally published February 21, 2021 at 3:21 PM with the headline "Wayward skydiver dangles from high-voltage power lines in Arizona, rescuers say."