A female skydiver is dead and a man is in a serious condition after an accident on the New South Wales north coast.

The pair landed heavily at an airstrip off the Pacific Highway at Tyagarah, near Byron Bay, about 3:30pm, NSW Police said.

They said initial investigations suggested the pair’s parachutes became entangled during a joint dive.

They were treated at the scene by paramedics, however the woman, who has not been formally identified, died.

The man has been flown to hospital with serious injuries.

Police will prepared a report for the coroner.

More to come