The Injured Pilots Under Treatment at CHC would be Referred to Specialist
Dehradun:
What should have been a smooth and celebratory finish turned into moments of fear and chaos on Friday when two paragliding pilots suffered serious injuries just minutes before landing during an ongoing paragliding competition in Kapkot, Uttarakhand. The shocking incident, captured on video, quickly went viral, drawing attention to safety concerns at adventure sports events.
Both pilots reportedly lost control during the final landing phase and crashed heavily onto the ground.
Medical teams stationed at the site rushed in immediately, administering first aid before referring the injured pilots to higher medical centres due to the severity of their condition. One of them was later airlifted for advanced treatment.
One of the injured pilots, Ranjit Singh Chauhan, a seasoned paraglider from Garhwal representing the Uttarakhand team, was said to be performing exceptionally well during the flight.
However, in the last moments before landing, his paraglider became unstable.
He fell hard, suffering a serious injury to his waist. Doctors present at the venue stabilised him before shifting him to the Kapkot Community Health Centre (CHC) in a 108 ambulance.
The second injured pilot, Navin Parihar, who is also a sitting district panchayat member, sustained injuries to his legs after landing forcefully on his feet.
Confirming the injuries, doctor on duty at Kapkot CHC, said, “Both pilots have suffered serious injuries. One has sustained a significant waist injury while the other has injuries to the legs.
"After providing initial treatment, both were referred to an orthopaedic specialist for better and specialised care.” He added that the administration had been informed promptly.
The incident has cast a pall over the paragliding competition, with fellow participants and locals expressing concern and hoping for the speedy recovery of the injured pilots, even as questions are being raised over safety measures during high-risk adventure sports events.