Dharamshala: A Belgian paraglider in his mid-sixties was killed after colliding mid-air with another paraglider in Bir-Billing on Tuesday while they were practising for the upcoming Paragliding World Cup 2024 in this hill state, police sources said here on Wednesday.
Both the paragliders took off separately from Billing in Kàngra district, the world-famous paragliding take-off site, when the two collided in the air leaving one dead and another injured.
Police sources told UNI that the deceased pilot has been identified as Feyarets whose body has been spotted in the forest area but is yet to be recovered from the forest.
The sources said the other paraglider, who suffered injuries and got entangled in the trees, was rescued and rushed to the hospital. His nationality is yet to be ascertained, police officials said.
Feyarets was a free-flying paraglider in his mid-sixties, who was practising for the coming week-long Paragliding World Cup.
In October last year, Polish paraglider Andrez died during a solo flight from Bir-Billing.
Kangra District Superintendent of Police Shalini Agnihotri told UNI that police have directed authorities to register paragliders, adhere to designated routes and ensure they don't fly over restricted and military areas.
According to the sources, a proposal to install special towers in high mountains to pinpoint the crash sites in case of accidents was in the pipeline.