A Gust of Doom: Andhra Tourist Loses Life in Manali’s Paragliding Nightmare

Kullu (The Uttam Hindu): A 32-year-old tourist from Andhra Pradesh, Tadi Mahesh Reddy tragically lost his life in a paragliding accident in Himachal Pradesh’s Kullu district on Tuesday police reported. The incident occurred at Raison approximately 20 km from Manali during his attempt to take off. A sudden gust of wind disrupted the glider’s flight path causing it to descend unexpectedly.

Reddy was rushed to Harihar Hospital in Bhuntar around 22 km from the take-off site but his condition deteriorated. He was then transferred to the Medical College in Mandi where doctors declared him dead. A postmortem was conducted on Wednesday and an investigation into the incident has been launched.

This unfortunate event highlights growing concerns about safety in Himachal Pradesh’s adventure sports. The state has witnessed a series of similar tragedies including two fatal paragliding accidents in October 2024. Ahead of the Paragliding World Cup in Bir-Billing, Kangra district a Belgian paraglider died in a mid-air collision and a 43-year-old solo paraglider, Dita Misurcova lost control in strong winds near Marhi, Manali crashing into the mountains.

Himachal Pradesh, renowned for adventure sports like paragliding faces increasing scrutiny over its safety measures as such incidents continue to rise.