A 44-year-old paraglider survived after a small scenic-flight plane struck and tore through her canopy over Piesendorf, Salzburg. The propeller severely damaged the wing, forcing the pilot to deploy her reserve parachute and make an emergency landing. She was airlifted by a police helicopter and suffered only minor injuries, while the 28-year-old plane pilot also escaped serious harm.
Miracle Over the Alps: Paraglider Survives Midair Collision After Plane Tears Through Canopy
‘Can’t believe I’m sitting here’: Paraglider escapes death after plane rips through glider in midair collision
A woman paragliding above the Austrian Alps survived a terrifying midair collision after a small scenic-flight plane flew through and ripped her canopy, sending her into an uncontrolled spin thousands of feet above ground.
What Happened
The incident occurred Saturday over the Piesendorf area of Salzburg, Salzburg State Police said. The paraglider, a 44-year-old woman, was struck when a small white aircraft on a scenic flight sliced through her canopy. The 28-year-old pilot told investigators he could not avoid the impact.
Police said the motor plane's propeller severely damaged the paraglider's canopy, forcing the experienced flyer to deploy her reserve parachute.
Piesendorf, Austria. (Wolfgang Weinhäupl / imageBROKER via Getty Images file)(Wolfgang Weinhäupl)
Rescue And Condition
After activating her reserve chute, the woman made an emergency landing on a grassy patch and was subsequently airlifted by a police helicopter. Salzburg State Police reported that both the paraglider and the light-aircraft pilot escaped serious injury; the paraglider later said she suffered little more than bruises.
"I actually still can’t believe that I’m sitting here typing this," she wrote in an Instagram caption, in an automated translation.
Video Of The Incident
Footage posted to Instagram by a user named Sabrina shows her gliding near a dramatic Alpine ridgeline when the distant hum of an engine grows louder. A small plane suddenly slices through the canopy just feet above her head. The canopy tears into two large sections that trail behind her harness as she begins to spin and lose altitude.
Calmly, she reaches for and deploys her reserve parachute, which opens normally and slows her descent. During the rapid descent she frees her feet from the harness and narrowly avoids a shrub before touching down. The video ends with her removing her gear and catching her breath.
Official Account
Salzburg State Police provided the official account of events; NBC News originally reported the story. Authorities have not publicly released the paraglider's full identity.
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