Ambala tourist, instructor die as paraglider crashes in Kullu

An Ambala tourist and a paragliding instructor died after their paraglider crashed to the ground shortly after taking off near Dobhi village in the Kullu district on Wednesday.

A Haryana tourist and a paragliding instructor died after their paraglider crashed to the ground shortly after taking off near Dobhi village in the Kullu district on Wednesday.

Several accidents involving paragliders have been reported in recent years in the area. An Ambala tourist and a paragliding instructor died after their paraglider crashed to the ground shortly after taking off near Dobhi village in the Kullu district on Wednesday. (HT File Photo)

The instructor lost control due to strong winds soon after he took off. The tourist was declared brought dead and the instructor too succumbed to his injuries. The deceased were identified as Aditya Sharma (20), a resident of Ambala in Haryana, and paraglider pilot Krishan Gopal (24) of Bhatkaral village in Kullu district, superintendent of police (SP), Kullu, Gurdev Sharma said.

The paraglider crashed soon after taking off near the departure point under the Patlikuhal police station limits, the SP said. The Himachal tourism department has launched an investigation to ascertain the cause of the accident.

Several accidents involving paragliders have been reported in recent years in the area. Earlier on March 8 this year, two people were killed and another was injured during a paragliding accident at Bir Billing in Kangra district.