Dharamshala, July 14 — A 25-year-old tourist from Gujarat died in a paragliding accident near Dharamshala on Sunday evening, after a tandem flight took off from an unauthorized site above Indrunag, officials said on Monday.
The deceased, identified as Satish, a resident of Ahmedabad, was on a family vacation in the region. According to officials, the incident occurred around 3:30 pm when the tandem paraglider lost balance during take-off from Bangotu — a site that is not officially notified for paragliding under Himachal Pradesh regulations. Satish and his pilot both fell during the failed launch. While the pilot sustained injuries, Satish later succumbed to his wounds at Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, Tanda, after initially being rushed to Zonal Hospital in Dharamshala.
This is the second paragliding-related fatality reported from Dharamshala this year. On January 19, a 19-year-old female tourist lost her life during take-off at the notified Indrunag site.
District tourism development officer Vinay Dhiman said that initial findings indicate a serious violation of the HP Aero-Sports Rules, 2022, and High Court directives regarding operational safety. “The take-off was done from a site which is not notified. It is a complete violation of the rules and the court’s order, which mandates that no site can be used without a designated marshal,” Dhiman said. “Neither was the site authorized, nor was any marshal present.”
Authorities have issued show-cause notices to both the pilot and the operator involved in Sunday’s incident. “We have asked the district administration to take cognisance, and appropriate legal action will follow once their replies are received,” Dhiman added.
Local police have also launched an investigation into the matter.
