SUFFOLK, Va. -- A parachuting stunt that went awry knocked out electricity to several hundred homes and businesses in Suffolk.
Someone saw three people jump with parachutes from a 1,000-foot-tall TV tower at about 6:40 a.m. Wednesday, city spokeswoman Debbie George told the Daily Press.
One person is believed to have hit a power line as the trio descended, creating a fault that burned down two wires and knocked out power to 478 customers, Virginia Dominion Power spokesman Chuck Penn said.
The parachutists then fled in a white Chevy Suburban SUV, George said. It's unclear if anyone was injured, but two or the parachutists were seen loading a third into the vehicle, the Daily Press reported.
Suffolk police are searching for the parachutists, who Penn said are "very fortunate" to be alive.
By 10:30 a.m. power had been restored to all customers except WVEC-TV, whose tower the BASE jumpers jumped from, according to Dominion.
