Belinda Taylor, a 48-year-old mom of four from Totnes, Devon, made a light-hearted joke about it being Friday the 13th before she tragically fell 15,000 feet in a tandem skydiving accident.
It is now the subject of a formal inquiry.
This unfortunate event occurred at Dunkeswell Airfield, and she was given the experience as a present from her boyfriend, Scott Armstrong, who was there with his young son, watching in utter shock as things went wrong.
The British Skydiving Board of Inquiry and the local police in Devon and Cornwall are now looking into what happened around 1 p.m. on that unlucky June day.
Belinda, who was also a loving grandma to two little ones, had just started getting into these daring adventures. Her family and friends remember her as someone who was always “selfless,” “full of life,” and who truly “just put everyone above herself.”
Belinda Taylor’s Family Recounts Final “Jokey” Conversation
Taylor’s son Elias, who’s just 20, remembered his mom making a kind of dark joke right before the terrible day she jumped: “It’s kind of weird thinking about it now, but at the time obviously she was saying how the jump would take place on Friday 13th and all those things … you don’t really expect what happened (…) She was mentioning it in a jokey way.”
Elias, who is currently studying at a university and living in west London, talked about how his mom, Belinda Taylor, had started to get into more adventurous things because of her relationship with Armstrong.
“Recently, she had (boyfriend) Scott and two of his kids, and looked after them. She was getting more adventurous with him, kayaking and stuff, looking to have that excitement and have more fun,” he said.
Pictured: Mother who died with skydiving instructor after parachute ‘failed to open’
Belinda Taylor and Adam Harrison fell 15,000ft to their deaths in Devon, as her partner reveals he bought her the jump as a present! https://t.co/TePsJ0CrpM— Bob For A Full Brexit (@boblister_poole) June 15, 2025
Armstrong bought Taylor a skydiving experience as a gift. The original plan was for them to jump from a height of 7,000 feet. However, in a spur-of-the-moment decision, Taylor chose a more intense dive from 15,000 feet instead.
They ended up being the last group to head up into the sky.
Later, with a heavy heart, Armstrong found their bodies on the ground, still attached by the harness. He described the scene to The Mirror as utterly horrifying. “I found Belinda and the instructor lying there, still together, both clearly dead,” he said.
A Growing Call Agrees “This Should Not Have Happened”
Adam Harrison, a 30-year-old skydiving instructor, has been in the business for quite some time since 2020. He was also working towards becoming a chiropractor. His sister, Amy, talked about him with a lot of admiration. She said, “Adam had built a sterling reputation as a professional instructor, and we take comfort in knowing that he would undoubtedly have done everything in his power to avert any crisis.”
Belinda Taylor’s ex, Bachir Baaklini, the father of her two kids, was obviously upset. He couldn’t believe what had happened and was looking for answers. “This should not have happened. We need to know why the kids lost their mum.” He shared some memories about Taylor, explaining how she was always there for their family and even kept in touch with the lady he’s with now.
A man who bought his ‘adrenaline junkie’ girlfriend a skydiving experience has watched on in horror as she fell to her death, before finding her and the instructors body. https://t.co/RnH0HF6s37
— The Nightly (@thenightlyau) June 16, 2025
The news has left everyone feeling sad. Robert Gibson, the CEO of British Skydiving, said they’re investigating with all the top people from their board. “Our deepest condolences go to their families, friends, and the entire skydiving community.” The rescue workers arrived quickly, but it was too late for Taylor and Harrison. They couldn’t save them.
Now, the Civil Aviation Authority is also looking into what happened.
Taylor’s oldest son, Connor Bowles, talked about his mom. He said she was the kind of person who always put others first. She just “wanted only the best for others.” And her daughter, Emily, who’s only 13, is heartbroken.
