Injured paraglider rescued

A man has been airlifted to hospital with serious injuries after a paragliding accident near Wanaka. St John was called to a paragliding spot near Treble Cone skifield about 11.40am yesterday. The man, in his 30s, had made a heavy landing, a spokeswoman said. He was taken to Lakes District Hospital in Queenstown. An Otago Rescue Helicopter spokesman said helicopter paramedics used a winch to rescue the man, who did not have life-threatening injuries. Treble Cone general manager Toby Arnott said the accident happened outside the skifield’s leased area. Police were notified but did not attend or take any action, a spokeswoman said. There have been several recent serious gliding accidents in Central Otago.