Virginia Tech spring game delayed after skydiver crashes into scoreboard, emergency rescue

A skydiver was suspended from the video board at Lane Stadium moments before Virginia Tech’s spring game on Saturday. The diver hit the board hard before emergency personnel deployed a crane to aid the stuck parachuter.

This delayed the start of the spring game as the safety of the skydiver was made a priority. Kickoff for the spring game was originally slated for 3 p.m. ET.

Oh man let’s hope he’s ok. That looked rough. pic.twitter.com/UdbOCuAaG0

— Sickos Committee (@SickosCommittee) April 18, 2026

The video shows two skydivers with American flags attached to them gliding over Virginia Tech’s home football stadium. The first one, appearing to carry a smaller flag, glides safely over the video board.

The other one appeared to be on the same trajectory, but it appears to have caught some wind on its way down. This forced an ill-timed collision between the skydiver and the ‘Virginia Tech’ sign above the video board.

His parachute appeared to get stuck between the ‘C’ and ‘H’ of the word ‘Tech,’ ripping off the covering and exposing the lights beneath. The parachuter dropped the American flag — which fell with a smaller parachute of its own — into the stands below as they sat awaiting rescue.

This delayed the start of the spring game for over an hour as they worked to safely remove the individual amid a sea of fans below. The diver was successfully rescued after roughly 45 minutes.

An additional angle was later posted, showing the parachute hooking over the top of the video board. Pieces of the letter covering can be seen falling below. It’s unclear whether this debris hit or injured any of the spectators below. Notably, there is some distance between the video board and the bleachers.

Terrifying moment where sky diver gets stuck at Virginia Tech spring game. The individual was rescued by the fire department. pic.twitter.com/h6t4EgaQ9A

— VT Barstool (@BarstoolVTech) April 18, 2026

With the skydiver rescued, the Hokies will look to move forward with their spring game. Once the game starts, it marks the first time fans will see Virginia Tech under the guidance of new head coach James Franklin.