Manali: A foreign woman pilot from the Czech Republic lost her life after a paragliding crash at Marhi, a popular tourist spot in Himachal Pradesh’s Manali.
The accident took place when the woman, identified as Misursva Deta Keska, reportedly piloted the paraglider on her own.
According to initial information, her paraglider unexpectedly crashed mid-flight, leading to fatal injuries.
Misursva was immediately rushed to mission hospital where the medical team pronounced her dead upon arrival.
The police have registered a case and launched an investigation to ascertain the cause of the accident.
“The body has been taken into custody and sent for post-mortem,” said Manali DSP KD Sharma. He said the deceased woman’s family had been informed through the Czech embassy.
Just days before the highly anticipated Paragliding World Cup in Bir Billing in Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra, a tragic incident had claimed the lives of two foreign pilots.
In separate incidents, a Belgian pilot lost his life in a paragliding crash while a Russian pilot died of a heart attack.
The Belgian pilot, identified as 67-year-old Petrize Flyer, succumbed to injuries after a mid-air collision caused his paraglider to crash into a tree.
The Russian pilot, Alexei (50), reportedly passed away overnight, with preliminary investigations indicating a heart attack.
According to the police, Flyer and a Polish pilot took off from Billing on Tuesday afternoon for a practice session.
At a significant distance from the take-off site, the paragliders collided mid-air. While the Polish pilot sustained minor injuries, Flyer’s glider was entangled in a tree.
The severe impact of the fall is believed to have caused fatal injuries to Flyer’s chest.
Alexei’s friends reported that he had not woken up after going to bed on Monday night.
The Paragliding World Cup is set to commence in Bir Billing on November 1, drawing competitors from across the globe.
The tragedies have left the local community and visiting participants in shock, highlighting the inherent risks of the sport.
