Bulgarian paraglider killed in Himachal's Kangra, admin suspends solo flights

Authorities have suspended solo paragliding flights from Bir-Billing until October 28, citing fluctuating air pressure and adverse weather conditions.

A 47-year-old Bulgarian national was killed while paragliding near the Rising Star peak above Khanyara in Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra district, officials said on Monday. The solo flyer, identified as Maksim Valentinovich Gavrilichenko, had taken off from Bir-Billing and crash-landed at around 3.30 pm on Sunday, following which a rescue and recovery operation was launched at around 9 pm. He had arrived in India on a tourist visa on October 7.

The victim was identified as Maksim Valentinovich Gavrilichenko, who crashed while paragliding near Rising Star peak in Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra district.

The rescue operation continued overnight, and his body was recovered on Monday morning by the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), with assistance from HIM-SAMSARA, a search and rescue association. Gavrilichenko was paragliding with his friend Stephen Antony Purdie, 63, a British national, when the accident occurred. The body was taken to the mortuary of the zonal hospital in Dharamshala, where a post-mortem examination was conducted.

The operation was completed around 10 am on Monday. Authorities confirmed the British national was safe.

Two foreign flyers rescued from Dhauladhar range a day earlier

The incident follows another reoperation in which two foreign paragliders were rescued on Sunday after remaining stranded in the Dhauladhar mountain range following crash landings. The two solo flyers, Sebastian from Austria and Adam Bisztyga from Poland, crash-landed at two different locations in the mountain range last week after taking off from Billing. While Sebastian was rescued from above Kareri Lake, Bisztyga was rescued from the range above Palampur.

Bir-Billing in the Baijnath area of Kangra district, renowned for its excellent thermals and scenery, attracts thousands of paragliding enthusiasts every year. Known as the paragliding capital of India, it ranks among the top sites in the world for the adventure sport.

Solo flights suspended till October 28

Local authorities in Baijnath have decided to suspend solo paragliding flights from Bir-Billing until October 28, citing prevailing adverse weather conditions and fluctuating air pressure. However, tandem flights will continue.

Baijnath SDM Sankalp Gautam said, “It came to our notice that many solo paragliding pilots have undertaken long-duration (cross-country) flights. The fluctuating air pressure and adverse weather conditions have contributed to hazardous flying conditions in the region. We have temporarily suspended solo flying to avoid mishaps.” Paragliding marshals have been directed to ensure strict compliance with the suspension of solo flights and have been instructed to monitor tandem flight operations as well.

Several foreign paragliders on Monday expressed opposition to the ban. Members of the Billing Paragliding Association have also opposed the move.

In April, two solo paragliders were rescued from the Dhauladhar mountain range in April. In October last year, a Canadian solo paraglider was killed after crash-landing in the range. He had taken off from the Bir-Billing paragliding site. An Austrian paraglider was also rescued from the Dhauladhar range in October last year. In November, two foreign paragliders who took off from Bir-Billing were rescued after crash landings.

In November 2024, a Polish paraglider who was stranded in the higher ranges of Kangra was rescued on the third day of the search operation.