Ex-defence minister's son dead after parachute incident

The son of former defence minister Joel Fitzgibbon has died following a parachute accident in NSW where he was taking part in a training exercise.

Lance Corporal Jack Fitzgibbon was at RAAF Base Richmond near Sydney on Wednesday night when his parachute failed to deploy.

The special forces soldier was an experienced parachutist who had performed the exercise many times before.

He received medical treatment for critical head injuries at the RAAF base before being taken to hospital where he died.

The Defence Department described the incident as a routine training activity,

The soldier’s father, who was a Federal Labor MP until 2022 and served as defence minister from 2007 to 2009, said the family were “devastated and heartbroken by the loss of our wonderful Jack”.

“Serving in the special forces was Jack’s dream job and we take some comfort from the fact that he died serving his nation in the uniform of the Australian Defence Force,” Mr Fitzgibbon said in a statement.

“Jack was a dedicated, highly skilled and courageous soldier. He was an experienced parachutist.

“Our lives will never be the same without Jack. But we will always remain proud of him and his many achievements.”

Acting Special Operations Commander Brigadier James Kidd said Lance Corporal Fitzgibbon was loved for his courage and known for his sense of humour.

He said an investigation was taking place into what happened and parachute training had been suspended.

“That investigation will likely take time,” he said.

“We acknowledge that military training is inherently risky, and we remain committed to constantly training at the highest standard to achieve the level of excellence that we know our nation demands of us.”

Defence Minister Richard Marles said Lance Corporal Fitzgibbon’s death was “a tragedy — his life has been taken far too early”.

“Every one of Lance Corporal Fitzgibbon’s friends and colleagues in the Australian Defence Force will be feeling the heaviness of this news today,” he said.

“Jack loved serving in the special forces and he did so with honour and great ability.

“Whenever a serving member of the Defence Force loses their life they have loved ones who are impacted.

“In this instance, Jack’s father, Joel Fitzgibbon, is a close friend of mine. All of Joel’s friends are feeling this tragedy particularly.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said every death in the service of Australia carried the heavy weight of loss and sadness.

“This tragic accident is a harsh reminder that there are no easy days for those who defend our nation,” he said. “We are so grateful to every Australian who serves and puts themselves on the line for all of us.

“Today the burden of grief falls on a dear friend to so many in the Labor family.”

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said the Coalition expressed its “heartfelt condolences to the entire Fitzgibbon family”.

“The Opposition pays its respects to Jack as we offer our deep gratitude for his military service,” Mr Dutton said.

“In this moment of devastation and heartbreak for the Fitzgibbon family and Jack’s fellow soldiers and friends, we acknowledge a young man of commendable character who epitomised the very best of our country.”

Former prime minister Scott Morrison took to X to say it was “a sad loss” and that Australia was “forever thankful” for Lance Corporal Fitzgibbon’s service.