Dubai: A trio of UAE-based Indian expatriates joined a global contingent of 65 skydivers in Libya to establish a new Guinness World Record by leaping from an aircraft at 13,000 feet whilst unfurling their respective national flags.

The successful attempt occurred on August 7 and was formally verified by Guinness World Records on August 14. The group set the record for the highest number of skydivers exiting a single aircraft simultaneously with national flags.
 

The Indian participants, Jamsheer Thanalot from Kannur (Kerala), Abhishek Rawat from Gorakhpur (Uttar Pradesh) and Isha Raj from Patna (Bihar), were the sole representatives from India among athletes spanning roughly 38 nationalities. Dropping from a military Ilyushin Il-76TD transport plane, the three unfurled the Indian Tricolour during their descent, providing a proud moment for the nation immediately preceding India's Independence Day.

All three individuals are active within the UAE skydiving circuit and arrived in Libya on August 5, undergoing three trial runs prior to the official record attempt.

“Even after a combined total of over 1,500 jumps between us, it was stressful for each one of us,” Rawat stated.

Thanalot highlighted the technical difficulty of the jump, noting that assembling 65 skydivers for a single exit is exceptionally rare, as standard formation jumps typically involve no more than 21 participants.

“It is a very proud feeling for us. There were people from so many countries and we were there representing India,” Jamsheer said.

The feat demanded precise execution. Participants had to manage oversized flags to prevent canopy entanglement, maintain strict mid-air separation and land precisely within a camera-monitored zone required for official verification.

PTI