Paraglider crashes, French pilot injured

Our Correspondent

Palampur, November 2

A French pilot Fabiyan Riner was seriously injured when his paraglider crashed in Dhauladhar hills near Baijnath this afternoon.

Fourth mishap in last 10 days

• This is the fourth paragliding mishap in Bir-Billing in the past 10 days. Three pilots from Russia, Poland and Lucknow were killed last week when their gliders crashed in different places. All were said to be trained pilots but had no knowledge of the difficult topography of Dhauladhar hills.

Report reaching here said Riner had taken off from Billing this morning. When he was flying in high mountains near Utrala, 10 km from Baijnath, he lost control because of poor thermals and landed in a snow-bound area near Big Face peak.

The Bir Billing Paragliding Association (BPA) pressed the rescue teams into service to rescue the pilot stranded in the hills. A spokesman of BPA said though the pilot had suffered injuries, he was safe and in touch with the rescue teams which were on the way to retrieve him. Besides, the BPA had also summoned helicopters from Dehradun.

SDM Baijnath D C Thakur, while briefing mediapersons, said the district administration was in touch with the BPA and extending all possible help to rescue the stranded pilot. He said the administration had directed all pilots not to take risk flying in high-altitude areas of Dhauladhar hills which could be fatal because of unpredictable weather.

This is the fourth paragliding mishap in Bir-Billing in the past 10 days. Three pilots from Russia, Poland and Lucknow were killed last week . All were said to be trained pilots but had no knowledge of the difficult topography of Dhauladhar hills.

State agencies have come under scanner following rising paragliding mishaps at Bir Billing. In the past five years, over 30 gliders have crashed at different places in Kangra and the adjoining Mandi districts, killing 10 pilots, including foreigners.

Billing is among the top paragliding sites in the world. The place has also hosted the prestigious Paragliding World Cup. But in the absence of rules to govern the sport, it has started courting controversies.

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