Skydivers tell of terrifying plunge as squall hits off St Kilda

Survivors of yesterday's parachute emergency at St Kilda have spoken of their panic as they plummeted to the ground.

The father of one teenager has lashed out at operators, questioning why they let his son jump.

Eighteen-year-old James Ryan remained in hospital today with a broken back.

While managing a thumbs up, he is facing three months in a back brace.

"He could have easily been killed, they could have been paralysed," said his father, Patrick Ryan.

New video has emerged of the jumpers, as they battled yesterdays 50 knot winds. 

Specks on a dark horizon, they flounder in the middle of hailstorm. 

After jumping from the plane at 14,000 feet and a minute-long freefall, the jumpers activated their parachutes and began seeking out the landing spot. 

It was then the squall came through, pushing five of the pairs off course by over a kilometre and forcing them to land at sea.

Narrowly avoiding nearby roadways, James and his instructor came down on the grass on Catani Gardens, almost 2km away from their intended target.

James landed hard on his rear end, breaking his lower back in the process.

Parachutist Dan Kemmink said: "I really thought that was going to be the end of me. That it was all over, red rover".

Mr Kemmenk broke four ribs on landing, but credits his instructor with saving his life.  

As he recovered in the Alfred today, Mr Kemmenk showed off the scars from hailstones that bellted his uncovered arms. 

"It was quite severe. It felt like I'd taken my shirt off at a paintball range and somebody has lined me up," he said.

The video also shows Seb Ryan as he crash landed into the water. 

"We were just getting blown everywhere. It was ridiculous," Mr Ryan said.

"It was pretty intense."

In the frantic moments that followed, Mr Ryan was pulled out by onlookers and treated in the St Kilda Sea Baths.

He learned his brother James' fate, when he awoke in hospital. 

"It's shocking that he broke his back. It's a bit of a shock cause I thought he was alright."

The company involved - Sky Dive the Bay - says it was safe to go ahead with the jump.  

The incident is being reviewed by the Civil Aviation Authority.