Australian paraglider seriously injured after hard landing at Himachal event; free-flyer from Poland stranded

An eyewitness said that David was forced to land at the take-off site due to strong wind conditions and thermals in the air. “He aimed for an area with safety mats but, unfortunately, landed on rough terrain about 25m away. He sustained severe internal injuries and was unable to stand,” he said. A hard landing occurs when a paraglider touches down with more force.

Meanwhile, in another incident on Sunday, a free-flyer from Poland collided with another paraglider mid-air. While the other paraglider safely landed at Bir-Billing, the Polish free-flyer was stranded on a hill.

Last week, a 65-year-old paraglider from Belgium, identified as Patrice Feyaerts, died after he collided mid-air with another paraglider at Bir-Billing in Kangra district.

Anurag Sharma, president of Billing Paragliding Association (BPA), said, “The paraglider suffered leg injuries but he is otherwise fine.” He added that the free-flyer from Poland, who is stranded after reportedly colliding with another paraglider, is safe and is in touch with his colleagues, guide, and BPA members.

“He got stuck nearly 2,500 metres up on a hill.

A helicopter has been deployed, and the rescue operation is expected to take more than 12 hours. The paraglider is in contact with members of the BPA, who have informed his family,” he said.