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VIDEO: Skydiver cuts himself free with hook knife after hanging from plane at 10,000 feet

November 3, 2015

“A jumper should always carry a protected but accessible knife,” reads section 5-3 of the Skydiver’s Information Manual – essential reading for skydivers published by the United States Parachute Association. An experienced skydiver in Lima, Peru just proved the wisdom of those instructions.

Fernando Gava’s jumpsuit got caught on the exit step of the plane he was attempting to jump out of. Gava hung upside down at 10,000 feet for half and hour before he was able to cut the pant leg off his jumpsuit with a hook knife.

Gava’s friend Maurice Mathey captured the video of his friend dangling from the air plane. Mathey reported on the video sharing website, Vimeo that “[Gava] then deployed his reserve [chute] and landed safely.” Gava only suffered a minor cut to his hand as a result of the ordeal.

Hook knives like the Benchmade 5 Hook, are typically the knife of choice for skydivers because of their versatility when gripping, small profile, and ability to sever lines and cut away their main canopy in extreme cases. Hook knives are “something Skydivers always carry,” Mathey told ABC’s Good Morning America.

Beyond skydiving, there are several other uses for hook knives. First responders are known to carry them to cut seatbelts and strip clothing. Divers pack them in case they need to cut through nets or entanglements.

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