Skydiver dies in midair collision during Washington group jump

A skydiver died and another was injured after a midair collision during a group jump in Washington state on Saturday, authorities said. The incident occurred around 5:30 p.m. local time near Ritzville, about 60 miles southwest of Spokane, as part of a scheduled jump organized by Skydive West Plains. The Adams County Sheriff's Office identified the deceased as Randy Hubbs, 70, of the Kennewick area, and the injured as Nicole Klein, 52, of the Colville area. Both were experienced skydivers, with Hubbs having completed roughly 800 jumps and Klein around 900, according to the skydiving company. Witnesses reported that Hubbs appeared unresponsive after the collision, with his head and arms limp, before drifting away from the designated drop zone. Klein suffered a hip injury but is expected to fully recover. The sheriff's office confirmed that weather conditions did not contribute to the collision and that an investigation is ongoing. The group jump involved 11 participants, and staff members tracked Hubbs' movements after the collision. The sheriff's office urged anyone with information to come forward and offered condolences to those affected.