Paraglider's Near-Death Experience at 8,000 Meters Leads to Ban

A Chinese paraglider's unexpected ascent to 8,000 meters during a training flight in the Qilian Mountains of northern China has led to a six-month ban on his paragliding activities. The incident, captured on video, shows the paraglider's equipment covered in ice at the extreme altitude. Ian Currer of the British Hang Gliding & Paragliding Association stated, "The worst thing would be the disorientation. It's not just the height; it's the fact he would have been inside a thundercloud." The video also contrasts this event with a similar incident involving German paraglider Ewa Wisnierska in 2007, who was propelled to over 32,000 feet by a cloud suck in Australia. Wisnierska described the event, saying, "The glider kept climbing, climbing, and I couldn't see anything, then it got dark. I was already shaking, all wet, all instruments were frozen." This incident serves as a stark reminder of the potential dangers of paragliding at high altitudes.