Skydiver, 27, falls 9,000ft to the ground and SURVIVES

Miracle: American Victor Bryie and Briton Shaun Phillips, both 27, had jumped above Lake Wales Municipal Airport in Florida, pictured, before getting into trouble, with Mr Bryie spiralling to the ground from 9,000ft

Risky: The friends were apparently trying Canopy Relative Work, which allows many skydivers to join together by holding each other's parachutes (file picture)

A skydiver has miraculously survived after falling to the ground from 9,000ft when he and a friend's parachutes became entangled.

American Victor Bryie and Briton Shaun Phillips, both 27, were trying a dangerous formation jump when they got into trouble over Florida.

The pair had jumped at 14,000ft over Lake Wales airport near Tampa, where they tried a complicated manoeuvre involving holding each other's canopy.

Called Canopy Relative Work, it allows experienced skydivers to link up with up to 100 others in mid-air.

But when Mr Bryie opened his parachute at 9,000ft Mr Phillips' foot got tangled in the lines and sent both of them spiralling downwards.

At 3,000ft Mr Phillips broke free and opened up his parachute, but Mr Byrie's was not fully open and he continued falling at speed.

Remarkably, despite suffering a head injury and two broken bones, Mr Byrie survived and is in a Florida hospital in a serious but stable condition.

He was found close to Highway 60 and was airlifted to Lakeland Regional Medical Center. 

Mr Phillips landed safely around 25 metres away from his friend.