India: Pilot killed in Himachal paragliding crash, tourist injured

A tandem paragliding pilot died in a crash at the internationally renowned Bir Billing adventure sports site in Himachal Pradesh on Friday, officials said Saturday.

According to a PTI report, the experienced pilot’s glider reportedly developed a technical fault shortly after take-off, lost balance mid-air, and crashed near the road below the Billing launch site in Kangra district.

Police identified the deceased pilot as Mohan Singh, a resident of Barot, around 30km from Bir Billing. Singh was flying tandem with a woman tourist, who sustained injuries but survived. Local rescue teams rushed both to a hospital, where Singh succumbed to his injuries on the way, while the tourist was reported stable after first aid.

The tragic incident prompted authorities and operators to suspend all paragliding activities at Bir Billing for a day as a mark of respect.

Third fatal accident this year

This is the third deadly paragliding accident at the site this year, following the deaths of a Gujarati tourist in July and a Canadian pilot in October.

A case has been registered, and officials are investigating whether the crash was caused by technical failure, human error, or weather-related factors. The District Tourism Development Officer, Kangra, Vinay Kumar, told PTI: "All documents and information related to the accident have been sought from the marshals and technical advisors stationed at the site. Further action will be taken based on the findings of the investigation report."

The accident has reignited concerns about safety at adventure sports destinations, particularly regarding equipment checks, pilot certification, and adherence to safety protocols.