An inquest has found that Jade Damarell, a 32-year-old marketing manager from Caerphilly, Wales, died by suicide after a skydive near Shotton Colliery in County Durham earlier this year.

Damarell, described as an experienced and passionate skydiver with more than 500 jumps to her name, was killed on April 27 after crashing onto farmland near Fleming Field. The inquest, held in Crook, concluded she had deliberately failed to deploy either her main or reserve parachute.

Assistant coroner Dr. Leslie Hamilton told the court that, on the “balance of probabilities,” Damarell intended to take her own life. He noted that her equipment was fully operational and that conditions for jumping that day were good. A helmet camera she had used on previous dives was not fitted for the fatal jump.

The hearing was told that Damarell’s relationship with her partner had ended the night before her death. The two had met through their shared love of skydiving. Just a day earlier, she had completed six jumps without incident.

A post-mortem examination at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Newcastle confirmed she died of blunt trauma. Toxicology tests found no evidence of alcohol or drugs.

Her parents, Liz and Andrew Samuel, observed the proceedings remotely. In a statement after the verdict, they remembered their daughter as “a brilliant, beautiful, brave and truly extraordinary person.”

They added: “A bright, adventurous, free spirit, she lived with immense energy, passion and love and touched countless lives with her warmth and kindness.”

Dr. Hamilton, in closing the inquest, emphasized the devastating nature of the case. He noted that while skydiving was one of Damarell’s greatest passions, it became the means of her death.

Everyone who knew her was shocked by her tragic death. Friends said she was dedicated not just to the sport but to supporting newcomers and building a sense of camaraderie in a high-risk activity.

The inquest offered little by way of explanation beyond her final hours, underscoring how quickly a life defined by energy and adventure can turn toward tragedy. For her family and friends, the loss of Jade Damarell remains not only heartbreaking but deeply puzzling.

She is remembered most not for the way she died, but for the vivid, fearless way she lived.