Paraglider not in distress as witnesses reported

Port Colborne Fire and Emergency Services firefighters and Niagara Regional Police officers waded through the thick, tick-infested woods of the Wainfleet Bog Saturday night in search of a powered paraglider reported to have crashed in the area.

Police said the incident started in Welland, near Highway 58 and Forks Road, at 8:30 p.m. when several witnesses contacted them and reported what appeared to be a man in distress on a powered paraglider. Witnesses told police they believed the person had crashed.

A powered paraglider sees a pilot wear a motor on their back with a wing, that looks like a parachute, above.

In a release, police said Niagara Emergency Medical Services paramedics also responded to the call, which had all emergency services personnel end up on Highway 58 in Port Colborne just north of Stonebridge Drive.

Port Colborne fire services brought its aerial truck to the scene and had its ladder extend over the bog on the west side of the road. Firefighters used a thermal imaging camera to look into the bog in an area believed to be where the paraglider may have crashed.

Firefighters and police entered into the bog, and a call was put in to Erie County Sheriff’s Office requesting — and receiving — one of its helicopters equipped with searchlights and thermal imaging system.

“While checking the area, police were made aware of a possible involved party to this incident,” said in the release.

They said the information was followed up, and police were able to confirm the person involved had been flying in the area, but landed safely at the same location as the takeoff point and was not in distress.