MOSCOW, July 23./ITAR-TASS/. One of Russia’s best paratroopers died when landing during a national canopy piloting competition in the Moscow region on Wednesday.

The athlete, Andrei Ryndin, “was one of the top ten paratroopers in Russia”, Alexander Chernyshev, president of the Parachuting Federation, told ITAR-TASS.

Ryndin was a member of the Russian parachuting team and had many times participated in world championships. He failed to control the parachute during a third jump.

“Swooping is the most spectacular but also the most dangerous sport. No more than 100 people in the whole of Russia are practicing it. He was a very talented top-class athlete and made more than a 1,000 jumps. Any mistake at a speed of 150 km per hour becomes fatal,” Chernyshev said.