120526 Warrant Officer Class 2 Lachlan Muddle CREDIT Australian Defence — Warrant Officer Class Two Lachlan Muddle died during a parachute training accident at Jervis Bay (Picture: Australian Defence)

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Australian military pauses parachute training after SAS soldier dies in training accident

The Australian Defence Force (ADF) has temporarily paused all parachuting training after the death of a Special Air Service Regiment soldier.

Warrant Officer Class Two Lachlan Muddle died during a parachute training accident on the evening of 11 May 2026.

Richard Marles, the Australian Deputy Prime Minister, said WO2 Muddle was involved in a mid-air collision with another parachutist at the ADF's parachute school at Jervis Bay.

The other parachutist received minor injuries. Both soldiers were deeply experienced and had completed thousands of jumps between them.

They were taking part in a six-week advanced parachuting training block, which included night-time parachuting.

Mr Marles said the accident happened at about 17:40 in low light, adding that "that was the point of the exercise".

He said the parachutes may have become tangled, but added that the exact circumstances would need to be established by investigations.

WO2 Muddle joined the Australian Army in 1994 and qualified for the Special Air Service Regiment in 2007.

He was an expert sniper and a deeply experienced Special Forces soldier, having taken part in five deployments, including to Afghanistan.

"The death of one of our soldiers is a tragedy and deeply felt by the Army family and across the broader defence community," the Australian MOD said in a statement.

A series of investigations will now take place within the ADF and more widely.