On November 18, 2006, in the skies above Flanders, a routine skydiving jump turns tragic. Els Van Doren, an experienced skydiver, plummets to her death as both her primary and reserve parachutes fail. The harrowing descent is captured on her helmet camera, leading investigators to discover the cords had been cut.
As the investigation unfolds, suspicion falls on fellow skydiver Els “Babs” Clottemans. The two women were entangled in a love triangle with Marcel Somers, and Clottemans’ attempted suicide shortly after the incident raises eyebrows. Prosecutors argue she had the opportunity to sabotage Van Doren’s parachutes during a weekend at Somers’ home.
The trial captivates Belgium, with Clottemans charged and later convicted of murder in October 2010. Despite maintaining her innocence, she receives a 30-year sentence, with her psychological state considered in the sentencing. An appeal in 2011 is denied, leaving questions about the tangled relationships and motives.
