Patrick Sandeman: leading UK wine merchant dies in skydiving collision The 28 year-old French skydiver, who was named Matt, was air lifted to Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, where he remains in a serious condition with severe spinal and lower leg injuries. Tonight, tributes were paid to Mr Sandeman, whose business has been described as "probably the best wine shop in the country." The pair were said to have been "experienced jumpers," who were not in tandem and had been skydiving separately "for fun." Mr Sandeman's devastated 52 year-old wife Katie, who was also involved in the business, and their three children, all in their mid 20s, were being comforted at their home and were too distressed to comment today. Friends and colleagues said Mr Sandeman, from Putney, south west London, was a hugely respected figure in the wine industry. His multi-million pound business was established in 1988 with partner Charles Lea, 55, and has four stores in Chelsea, Kensington, Barnes and Chiswick, west London. It has been named the London Merchant of the Year several years in succession while industry figures have described it as "probably the best wine shop in the country." "It is a huge tragedy for his family and the many people around him," one friend, who declined to be named, told The Daily Telegraph. He was loved by everyone and he was just a great bloke who had time for everybody. He was a very jolly person who had a gorgeous wife and terrific children and who considered family as the most important part of his life. Patrick Sandeman (centre) on a recent skydive He added: "He also loved wine and his business, which was very successful. We are all devastated - it is just terrible news. He was a very experienced skydiver who had been doing it for several years. He just loved living life to the fullest. Another friend, who also declined to be named, said: "We have known the family forever and Patrick is one of my closest friends. We are all just absolutely crushed by this. He was one of the greatest blokes in the business and so professional. Guy Woodward, the editor of Decanter magazine, said Mr Sandeman was considered one of Britain's leading wine merchants. "He was a great guy and a very well respected, forward thinking, wine merchant - it is very sad," he said. He was very well known, very well liked and his love and passion for wine was very visible in the zest he brought to his work. He was someone who loved wine and was certainly considered one of London's leading wine merchants, if not the country's. Mr Lea, from Fulham, west London, declined to comment tonight. While residents reported that conditions were "still and sunny," concerns were raised about the appearance of too many skydivers in the sky, a claim denied by a spokesman for UK Parachuting. Jon Dundee, a parachuting coach who was waiting to board a plane when the jumpers collided, said the death had been a tragic accident. Mr Dundee, who coaches formation parachuting at the Sibson Aerodrome, said it was a "normal number of people jumping" due to restrictions on the plane. "Parts of their parachute got tangled," said Mr Dundee, of King's Cliffe, Northants. They were moving when the parachutes hit each other and collapsed and they fell to the ground. It was such a terrible shock. It was so sad. They were both experienced jumpers. A spokeswoman for air ambulance charity Magpas, which treated the men at the scene, said the French jumper's incredible survival was because he managed to land on his feet while Mr Sandeman was already in cardiac arrest. Sibson Airfield is one of two bases for the company, which offers skydiving courses and charity jumps. The incident is being investigated by the British Parachuting Association (BPA), the sport's governing body, who were conducting a "board of inquiry" alongside Cambridgeshire Police, the UK Parachuting spokesman said. He added: "There was nothing to suggest that there were too many people in the air." Further inquiries were referred to the BPA but a spokesman did not respond to requests for comment tonight. The Air Accidents Investigation Branch said it was not investigating because no aircraft were directly involved in the incident.