Home

Back to Index

Russian paraglider missing in Himachal

      Dharamshala: A Russian paraglider has gone missing during the international Himachal paragliding competition, here, say state tourism department officials. Over 50 Indian paragliders and several from foreign countries were participating in the week-long competition from October 19 in the Bir-Biling Valley in the Kangra District of Himachal Pradesh. The identity of the missing paraglider has not yet been established, as he was not an official entry in the competition. The provincial administration has called in rescue teams to trace the missing paraglider in the Chamud Hills in the Dhauladhar Mountains. "He was a free flier. He was not part of the 57 participants registered with us for the competition. Two rescue teams have already left for the spot to try to locate him. We have also requisitioned for a helicopter. The helicopter should also be here very shortly but as you see the weather in those hills is slightly packing up. Whether the helicopter will be able to survey exactly the person or not is not certain. We have managed to find the GPS, the co-ordinates of where the person is. I think very shortly our rescue teams will be able to locate the person. Only then will be able to very clearly say as to what is the nature of injury if there is any injury," said Tarun Shridhar, Commissioner of Tourism Department of Himachal Pradesh. The Bir-Biling Valley is only the third place in India to offer paragliding facilities - the other two being in Gulmarg in Jammu and Kashmir and Manali in Himachal Pradesh. Paragliding in India began in 1995, but it was only in 2001, that Himachal Pradesh decided to regularise the sport and exploit the tourist potential.
-Oct 26,  2006

Leading Indian News Papers

Overseas Tourist
Offices

Tourist offices
in India

Helpline