Czech paraglider killed in Manali, second fatality during paragliding in two days
Ahead of the Paragliding World Cup 2024, set to start in Himachal Pradesh's Bir-Billing on 2 November, two fatalities in as many days have raised some concerns. On Wednesday, Dita Misurcova, a paraglider from the Czech Republic, was killed in Himachal Pradesh's Manali after she crashed into the mountainside.
Czech paraglider killed
The 43-year-old solo paraglider crashed into the mountains near Marhi in Manali. According to initial reports, she lost control of the glider due to strong winds.
The paraglider was immediately rushed to a hospital in Manali, where she was declared dead, officials added. An experienced paraglider, Misurcova had been paragliding for the past six years.
Paraglider dies after mid-air collision?
Earlier, on Tuesday, a Belgian paraglider, identified as Feyarets, was killed after colliding mid-air with another paraglider in Bir-Billing as his parachute failed to open after the crash. The accident occurred when the two paragliders, who took off separately, collided mid-air, leading to the death of Feyarets, while the Polish paraglider sustained injuries.
"Ten paragliders were flying simultaneously, and two of them crashed into each other mid-air. The Belgian paraglider died as his parachute did not open after the crash," Kangra district's Deputy Director, Tourism, Vinay Dhiman told PTI.
What is causing the accidents
According to Dhiman, the chances of an accident increase when the free fliers venture into high-risk zones or inner valleys with little knowledge of the topography and the local wind conditions.
"We are in the process of documenting the thermals in the Bir-Billing area with the help of experts to reduce the probability of accidents while flying," he added.
Paragliding in Bir Billing
Bir and Billing, located in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, are known as the paragliding capital of India. Bir is the landing site, and Billing is the takeoff site.
Bir-Billing became popular among adventure tourists from around the world after it hosted the Paragliding World Cup in 2015. This year, the World Cup will be held from 2¨C9 November and will see participation from 130 paragliders from 50 countries.
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