August 2  2006
In the USA a young 22 year-old skydive instructor - Robert Cook - knowing he was about to loose his own life shielded a young 21 year-old Aussie girl from certain death when the aircraft they were in had an engine failure shortly after take-off from the Sullivan Regional Airport near St Louis in Missouri

The father of 21-year-old said the instructor had shielded his daughter from the huge impact forces by making sure he was underneath his daughter and acting as a 'cushion' prior to impact

   
Investigators believe the prop-jet twin suffered an engine failure - "a witness has reported seeing the plane's right engine burst into flame moments after take-off"

"The Quantum Leap Skydiving Center is mourning the loss of its owner, staff and student sky divers who perished in the crash of the DeHavilland DHC-6 Twin-Otter jump plane..."

Only 2 of the 8 on board survived - one was critical