Manali: Another foreign paraglider crashes to death, second fatality in 48 hours

The deceased, identified as 43-year-old solo paraglider Dita Misurcova, reportedly lost control due to strong winds and crashed near Marhi in Manali.

A day after the death of a Belgian paraglider, another tragedy struck as a Czech paraglider was killed in Himachal Pradesh's Manali on Wednesday after crashing into a mountainside, news agency PTI reported.

The safety of paragliders has remained one of the prime concerns in Himahal Pradesh as several deaths have been reported in recent years. (HT Photo)

This brings the number of paraglider fatalities in the region to two in just two days, just before the Paragliding World Cup 2024, set to begin on November 2 in Bir-Billing, often called the 'paragliding paradise' in Kangra district, Himachal Pradesh.

The deceased, identified as 43-year-old solo paraglider Dita Misurcova, reportedly lost control due to strong winds and crashed near Marhi in Manali. She was immediately taken to a hospital, where doctors declared her dead. Misurcova was an experienced paraglider, having been in the sport for six years.

On Tuesday, a Belgian paraglider died in Bir-Billing after a mid-air collision with another paraglider caused his parachute to fail.

Meanwhile, a 50-year-old Russian national, Aleksei Kozlochkov, passed away on Monday due to a suspected heart attack in his hotel room in Bir.

Officials told PTI that Tuesday’s incident occurred when two paragliders, who took off separately, collided mid-air, resulting in the death of Belgian paraglider Feyaret and injuries to a Polish paraglider.

Ten paragliders were airborne at the time of the incident, and two collided mid-flight. Kangra district’s deputy director of tourism, Vinay Dhiman, confirmed that the Belgian paraglider’s parachute did not open after the crash, leading to his fatal fall.

The chances of 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, he said, adding, "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."

In October 2023, three paragliders -- Russian, Polish and Indian -- were killed in a week while paragliding. The November 2-9 World Cup will see participation from 130 paragliders from 50 countries.