Belgian woman skydiver on trial for 13,000 feet sky-high murder of love rival

LONDON - A woman skydiver is on trial accused of murdering her love rival by tampering with her parachute and causing her to plunge 13,000 feet to her death, after losing a contest for the affections of their instructor.

According to The Telegraph, Els or “Babs” Clottemans, 25, is alleged to have murdered her married skydiving partner Els Van Doran, 37, in November 2006, after apparently growing jealous that they were both having an affair with the same man.

A video camera on Van Doren’s gear reportedly filmed her desperate struggle as she tried to release her reserve parachute. The video ended as she landed in a suburban garden in eastern Belgium.

Parachuting with both women, the 25-year-old lover, Marcel or “Mars” Somers, watched in horror as Van Doran, a mother with two children, crashed over two miles to her death into a garden in the Flemish Limburg town of Opglabbeek.

Clottemans allegedly watched from above as her friend Van Doren, an experienced skydiver with 2,000 jumps, struggled to escape death.

Detectives found signs that both parachutes had been sabotaged, the paper reports.

The accused, who was released from prison on bail over two years ago, is said by family and friends to acted “mature and calmly” since then.

“My client has evolved since her release in January 2008 and does not behave like a psychopath. She started working as a teacher,” Vic Van Aelst, her lawyer said.

Clottemans has denied the charge against her. (ANI)