5 days on, Spanish paraglider stuck in Dhauladhar rescued
DHARAMSHALA : Spanish paraglider pilot Jose Lewis, 40, was rescued on Wednesday, five days after he went missing in Dhauladhar mountains.
He was airlifted by a rescue helicopter early morning, said Baijanth sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Vikas Shukla, who was leading the ground rescue team. Besides a ground team, an aerial rescue team was also deputed for the operation.
The paraglider pilot was brought to Bir village where he underwent a health check-up. “He has suffered minor injuries but is fine,” said Shukla.
Jose, who lost control due to strong currents in Big Face area of the mountain range, crash landed at a narrow patch and got stuck there.
He was traced on Monday but the rescue team lost contact with him on Tuesday. He, however, was traced again and medicine, clothes and food was airdropped to him.
Shukla said the Big Face area is a dangerous spot in Dhauladhar mountains where wind currents converge from three sides.
The pressure thus built, leads
WAS BROUGHT TO BIR VILLAGE WHERE HE UNDERWENT A HEALTH CHECKUP
to the paragliders losing control and are sometimes knocked down by the wind.
In the last few years, at least three pilots have died, including the Singaporean pilot who was found dead on Tuesday, in the same region.
The Singaporean pilot, 53-year-old Kok-Choonk-Na, who went missing on Monday, was found dead in Big Face area. He probably lost control due to winds and crash landed on hard rocks. His body was found by the rescue team that was searching for Jose. An ex-commando of Singapore Army, Choonk was in Bir-Billing to take part in Paragliding Pre-World Championship.