In a second fatal accident in two days, 43-year-old Czech paraglider Dita Misurcova was killed in Manali, Himachal Pradesh, after losing control in strong winds and crashing into a mountainside near Marhi. Misurcova, an experienced paraglider with six years in the sport, was rushed to a hospital where she was pronounced dead. Her death follows Tuesday’s tragic incident in Bir-Billing, where a mid-air collision resulted in the fatal fall of a Belgian paraglider.
Rising Fatalities Amid High-Risk Flying Conditions
Tuesday’s incident in Bir-Billing, known as a top paragliding destination, involved a collision between two paragliders mid-air. Deputy director of tourism in Kangra, Vinay Dhiman, confirmed that Belgian national Feyaret’s parachute failed to open post-collision, leading to his death.
Officials attribute the risk to paragliders venturing into high-risk areas without sufficient knowledge of local wind patterns. The tourism department is now working with experts to document Bir-Billing’s thermals to improve flight safety. Recently, three paragliders—a Russian, Polish, and Indian—lost their lives within a week, underscoring the region’s potential dangers.
Upcoming Paragliding World Cup Amid Heightened Safety Concerns
With the Paragliding World Cup 2024 scheduled from November 2-9 in Bir-Billing, where 130 paragliders from over 50 countries will compete, these incidents have raised concerns about participant safety in one of the world’s top paragliding locations.
