A woman was killed when her parachute malfunctioned and didn’t open when she jumped out of a plane to skydive, police have said.

Karen Bernard, 59, of Wildwood, Florida, US, died around 9am on Saturday, July 24, when she jumped out of a plane in the central New York town of Westford.

Her brother Terry also announced the tragic death with a post on Facebook.

He wrote: “It is with a sad heart that I need to notify you, her family, and friends that Karen passed away Saturday, July 24 in a skydiving-related accident.

“She was doing the things she loved to do. At this time there are no services planned.”

He added: “Please refrain from asking any questions at this time because we don’t have any answers and we’re not monitoring her page. We’re all pretty numb and in disbelief. Thank you for your understanding.”

In a statement, police said: “A preliminary investigation revealed that a Karen Bernard, age 59 of Wildwood, FL jumped out of a plane to skydive when it appears she had a malfunction with her parachute.”

The jump occurred in Otsego, in central New York State, and the investigation is ongoing, police said.