A trial has begun for a pilot charged with manslaughter, who was flying a plane that decapitated an experienced wingsuit skydiver 20 seconds into his jump in the South of France.
The gruesome nature of the sky diver’s death in 2018 was revealed during the trial for the pilot, who was identified as 64-year-old Alain C, The Times reported.
The skydiver who lost his life was Nicolas Galy, 40, who was one of two skydivers released from the single-engine plane at 14,000 feet over Bouloc-en-Quercy in July 2018, the Times reported.
Moments after jumping, the pilot rapidly began descending and caught up with the skydivers as they were gliding in the air.
Prosecutors shared during the trial that it was then that the left wing of the plane struck Galy, decapitating him, according to the Times.
After having his head removed, Galy’s emergency parachute opened, and his lifeless body landed in a field.
After Galy’s death, the pilot was charged with manslaughter, as prosecutors argued the accident was caused by his errors in the pilot’s seat.
Alain insisted in court that he hadn’t done anything wrong, saying that it was Galy who “did not follow the expected course and should never have been on that course,” according to the Times.
“I think my flight path made sense,” Alain said during his testimony. “This has been the tragedy of my life, but I am not at fault.”
During his testimony, Alain did admit that he didn’t brief the skydivers and wingsuiters about the jump. He also said he thought Galy was “further south” when he began descending.
The prosecution maintains that Alain was at fault for the incident, pointing out that the pilot was also flying an invalid license after he violated some restrictions stemming from a medical condition, which was not specified in court, the Times reported.
Prosecutors are seeking a 12-month suspended sentence for Alain and a fine of more than $10,000 for his employer. A verdict is expected to be delivered in November.