Himachal: Paragliders collide mid-air, Belgian national killed

A Belgian paraglider was killed after colliding mid-air with another paraglider in Bir-Billing while they were practising for the upcoming Paragliding World Cup 2024 in the Himachal Pradesh town, police said on Wednesday.

IMAGE: A tourist enjoys paragliding at Solang Valley in Kullu. Image used only for representation. Photograph: ANI Photo

The accident took place on Tuesday when the two paragliders took off separately.

Feyarets' body has been spotted but is yet to be recovered from the forest.

The other paraglider, who suffered injuries and has been taken to hospital, got entangled in the trees and was rescued. His nationality is yet to be ascertained, police officials said.

Feyarets, known only by one name, was a free flying paraglider in his mid-sixties, they said.

This is not the first time tragedy has struck the famed slopes of Bir-Billing.

In October last year, Polish paraglider Andrez died during a solo flight from Bir-Billing.

Kangra Superintendent of Police Shalini Agnihotri said police has directed authorities to register paragliders, adhere to designated routes and ensure they don't fly over military areas.

"A proposal to install special towers in high mountains to pinpoint the crash sites in case of accidents is in the pipeline," said Avinash Negi, director of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports (ABVIMAS) in Manali.

The November 2-9 World Cup will see participation from 130 paragliders from 50 countries.