CHANDIGARH: A 51-year-old Australian paraglider, Andy, who crashed yesterday evening near the Seven Sisters Peak located at an altitude of 13,500 feet in the Manali subdivision of Kullu district in Himachal Pradesh, has been rescued after 20 hours.
Sources said that the paraglider Andy, hailing from Australia, is believed to have crashed due to air pressure and adverse weather conditions.
A paraglider pilot flying with him witnessed the accident and informed the rescue team, requesting assistance. Ramesh Kumar Jogi, in charge of the rescue team of the Manali Adventure Tour Association, said that Andy, who was lying on a dangerous and narrow ledge on a high mountain, was finally rescued with the help of a chopper. He is now being treated at the hospital and is out of danger.
Both the pilots had come from Bir Billing in Kangra district to Manali and were flying back to Bir Billing when the crash took place.
A rescue team was dispatched immediately on Monday evening to rescue Andy, who was trapped in the inaccessible hills.
Andy's close call isn't rare, as paragliding accidents at popular sites like Bir Billing in Himachal have been taking place, with recent incidents involving flyers from Canada, Austria, and Russia, too.
A few days ago, Megan Elizabeth, a 27-year-old Canadian paraglider who had gone missing, was found dead, while a 47-year-old Austrian paraglider, Jacob, was rescued from the high mountains of the Dhauladhar range.
In the last five years, 26 paragliding crashes have been reported in Kangra and Mandi districts of the hill state, resulting in the death of 12 paragliders, including foreign nationals, and injury to many. In some incidents, neither the pilot nor the glider could be located.