3 foreign paragliders stranded in high-altitude peaks of Kullu-Manali

MANDI: In a challenging rescue mission, three foreign paraglider pilots from New Zealand, the UK, and Australia are currently stranded at an elevation of approximately 15,000 feet amid the rugged mountains between Kullu and Manali.

After launching from Bir Billing on Monday evening, the paragliders lost their course and are stuck on high-altitude ridges. The district administration has launched an intensive rescue operation, although adverse weather and terrain are complicating efforts.

Kullu SDM Vikas Shukla shared the exact coordinates of each pilot’s location, which are positioned across steep and remote sections of the Fojal Valley in Kullu district. The details are as follows:

•Pilot 1 (Michael); Nationality: Australia; Coordinates: 32.18771 N, 76.99463 E; altitude: 4,500 metres

•Pilot 2 (Greg); Nationality: New Zealand; Coordinates: 32.022775 N, 76.563726 E; altitude: 3,420 metres

•Pilot 3 (Rosie Darewood); Nationality: UK; Coordinates: 32.0303400 N, 76.9541800 E; altitude: 3,270 metres

One of the three pilots has sustained injuries, increasing the urgency of the mission. Helicopter and mountain rescue team has been mobilized. Due to the high-altitude and limited accessibility by helicopter, Kullu’s chief of district tour operations confirmed the difficulty of conducting aerial rescues.

A specialised team of 10 experienced trekkers from the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Mountaineering Institute in Manali has been dispatched on foot to reach the stranded pilots, with helicopters on standby for additional support.

With the rescue mission in full swing, authorities remain hopeful about reaching the stranded paragliders soon, despite the challenging conditions. Updates on the operation will follow as new information becomes available.