Pilot Rescued After Glider Gets Stuck in Power Lines in Himachal Pradesh

Emergency Rescue Operation in Mehad Village

Munish Sood
Mandi: Concerns regarding paragliding safety in Himachal Pradesh have intensified following an incident where a pilot became ensnared in high-tension power lines in Mehad village, located approximately five kilometers from Mandi town, on Tuesday. The pilot found himself suspended nearly 150 feet above the ground after his glider got caught in the overhead wires, prompting a complex rescue operation.

This event has reignited discussions about the dangers associated with paragliding in the region, especially as Mandi and its neighboring areas have experienced a series of accidents involving pilots launching from the globally recognized Bir-Billing paragliding site.

In response to the situation, local authorities, including police and fire services, quickly arrived at the scene. As a precaution, electricity supply to the vicinity was cut off. The Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Mandi and other law enforcement officials were present to supervise the rescue efforts.

Rescuers faced challenges in safely bringing the pilot down due to his elevated position. To ensure safety, mattresses and tarpaulins were laid out on the ground while rescue teams worked diligently to reach the stranded individual. Updates on the pilot's condition and the rescue's outcome were pending at the time of this report.

Recent Paragliding Incidents in Mandi

This latest occurrence follows two recent paragliding accidents in Mandi district involving foreign pilots who had also taken off from Bir-Billing.

On November 1, an Austrian pilot, Nicholas Thomas, aged 50, sustained injuries after his paraglider crashed in the Chhanang area of Gumma in Jogindernagar subdivision. He had embarked on a solo flight from Bir-Billing but reportedly lost control due to strong winds, resulting in a crash into agricultural fields.

Earlier, on October 29, a Russian pilot named Ksenia, aged 41, suffered a leg fracture after her paraglider crashed at Phuladhar in Padhar subdivision. She had also launched from Bir-Billing and was later transported to Jogindernagar for medical attention.

These incidents followed a tragic accident in Kangra district where a 47-year-old Bulgarian pilot, Maksim Valentinovich Gavrilichenko, lost his life after a crash-landing near Rising Star Peak above Khanyara in October. His British companion was rescued unharmed. This accident led authorities to temporarily halt solo paragliding flights from Bir-Billing due to concerns over changing air pressure and adverse weather conditions.

Additionally, two other foreign pilots from Austria and Poland were rescued from different locations in the Dhauladhar mountain range during this period after their gliders crash-landed.

Safety Concerns at Bir-Billing

Bir-Billing, situated in Kangra district, is recognized as one of the premier paragliding destinations globally, attracting both professional flyers and adventure seekers from around the world. The site hosted the Paragliding World Cup in 2015 and is celebrated for its excellent flying conditions and breathtaking mountain scenery.

However, the increasing number of accidents has raised significant concerns.

A report from November 2024 indicated that approximately 30 paragliding accidents had occurred over five years, resulting in the deaths of 14 pilots. The report noted a Belgian pilot's death due to a mid-air collision with another paraglider near Bir-Billing, while a Polish pilot required rescue from the mountains.

In a major incident in March 2022, a tourist from Ghaziabad, Akash Aggarwal, and a ground assistant, Rakesh Kumar, tragically lost their lives during a take-off accident at Bir-Billing. The pilot, Vikas Kapoor, was injured when the assistant became entangled in the paraglider's ropes, causing a loss of balance.

In November 2021, a 30-year-old local, Sandeep Chaudhary, died after falling from a paraglider during a tandem flight when his safety harness reportedly failed. A pilot who went missing after taking off from Billing in January 2021 was discovered deceased in the Dhauladhar range nearly five months later.

Concerns persisted into 2025 when a 27-year-old Canadian solo paraglider, Megan Elizabeth, died after crash-landing in the Dhauladhar mountains in October. She had taken off from Billing but lost her way in the challenging terrain. Another Austrian pilot was rescued from the area during the same timeframe.

A report from October 2025 suggested that the Bir-Billing flying zone might be divided into green, orange, and red zones to identify safer and higher-risk flying areas. This decision followed a series of accidents that reportedly claimed 18 paragliders' lives over the previous five years.

Need for Enhanced Safety Measures

The frequency of these accidents has raised critical questions regarding pilot experience, weather evaluations, flight monitoring, equipment standards, and emergency rescue protocols.

A significant concern highlighted in earlier reports has been the lack of adequate specialized rescue infrastructure, particularly for pilots stranded in hard-to-reach high-altitude areas. Delays in arranging helicopters and coordinating rescue operations have also surfaced as serious issues.

While Bir-Billing continues to gain international acclaim and plays a vital role in Himachal Pradesh’s adventure tourism sector, the recurring emergencies emphasize the necessity for stricter safety regulations, improved weather monitoring, regular equipment checks, and a more efficient rescue system.

The recent incident in Mandi, where a pilot remains suspended in mid-air after becoming entangled in high-voltage power lines, adds yet another alarming chapter to the growing list of paragliding emergencies in the state.

For a destination that has firmly established itself on the global adventure tourism map, ensuring that every flight is supported by adequate safety measures is becoming as crucial as promoting the sport itself.