Two skydivers have plummeted 6,000ft to their deaths after their parachutes got entangled during a stunt over California.Robbie Bigley and Barbara Cuddy landed in a vineyard following an attempted formation jump involving eight people, reports said.

Bill Dause, owner of the Parachute Centre near Lodi, said the pair had been practising for the US Parachute Association national skydiving championships next month. "Three jumpers became entangled while building the formation," Mr Duase told Recordnet. "One was able to eject out, but the others remained entangled and for whatever reason could not deploy their reserve chutes.

Reports said Mr Bigley died immediately after hitting the ground. But Ms Cuddy was taken to Lodi Memorial Hospital before she was pronounced dead, it was said. Mr Dause said the two victims had each skydived more than 4,000 times. Both Mr Bigley and Ms Cuddy are listed on the United States Parachute Association's website as existing national record holders for formation jumps.