Cause still unclear

Paraglider crashed in the Drau Valley: one person dead

As with many hobbies, the same applies to paragliding: It can be wonderful, but it can also be deadly. On Tuesday, one person died in a paragliding crash in the Drau Valley. Symbolic image

(Bild: Carlos - stock.adobe.com)

A fatal recreational accident occurred on Tuesday afternoon in the area of the Mokarspitze near Dellach im Drautal (Carinthia) - a paraglider pilot from Switzerland crashed.

Shortly after 12 noon on Tuesday, a 45-year-old paraglider pilot from Switzerland took off from the Emberger Alm for a cross-country flight - first to the west towards Damerkopf, then back towards Greifenburg. Southwest of the Mokarspitze in the Kreuzeck group, however, the pilot crashed shortly after 2.30 pm. The cause of the accident is still unclear.

A paraglider pilot from Germany noticed the crash and immediately made an emergency call.

Rescue helicopter in action
However, the emergency doctor from the C7 rescue helicopter team was only able to determine the death of the man, who succumbed to his serious injuries at the scene of the accident.

The body was recovered by the C7 team. The 45-year-old's relatives, who were waiting for him at a campsite, received help from the crisis intervention team.

The Oberdrauburg police, members of the Spittal Alpine Task Force, the Oberes Drautal Mountain Rescue Service and the Christophorus 7 crew were on duty.

Drau Valley popular with paragliders
Numerous Carinthians and vacationers from all over Austria and the surrounding countries are always drawn to the Upper Drau Valley because the conditions for paragliding are good there. Take-off and landing sites have been set up. Such serious accidents rarely occur in the Drau Valley.