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Paraglider plunges to death
A London man plunged to his death in a paragliding accident in Argentina when he slipped loose from his harness.
- Evening Standard
- Published: 23:58 January 6, 2009
London: A London man plunged to his death in a paragliding accident in Argentina when he slipped loose from his harness.
David Mather, 28, plummeted 70.15 metres to the ground after he became detached from his instructor as his brother and best friend looked on.
Witnesses said Mather began screaming almost as soon as the paraglider was launched and saw his instructor trying to hold on to him.
Mather landed in a garden at the foot of a hill close to where his brother and best friend had watched him take off. He died instantly.
The Brent council worker, who lived in Kingston, was making his first flight and was supposed to be attached to his instructor. The tragedy happened on New Year's Eve in the Salta province in north-west Argentina.
Mather had gone to the South American country for a holiday and to visit his brother, Gareth, who lives there and has a company.
On holiday
Gareth, 29, said it was clear immediately when the pair took off that something was wrong.
He said: "People were shouting that he wasn't hooked up properly. You could see him slipping from the harness and the instructor reaching down trying to grab him. Then they went out of sight behind a hill."
His brother rushed to the spot where Mather fell to find paramedics already there. But he could not be saved and died at the scene.
Mather's best friend Nikesh Patel had done the same flight safely just minutes before. But he revealed afterwards: "The instructor told me he didn't have much experience."
The family is accusing the firm of negligence.
- Evening Standard
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