Paraglider Crashes Into Cliff In California And Another Crashes Near Airport In New Mexico: Both Killed

A paraglider crashed into a cliff near Mussel Rock Park in Daly City, California, on Sunday.

The San Jose Mercury News reports that rescuers were called to Westline Drive around 9:30 a.m., after a paraglider crashed into a cliffside. North County Fire Authority reveals in a statement that rescuers used a rope to reach the individual, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

ABC 7 News adds in its coverage that the paraglider was a man, but his name hasn’t been released. Weather conditions were reportedly ideal and winds were calm. The man appeared to be in his fifties and was flying alone. A witness said the paraglider crashed into the cliffside at Mussel Rock.

According to the report, the most catastrophic thing that usually happens to paragliders in this area is maybe a wing collapsing, but they usually recover.

“The air is typically very smooth, usually we don’t fly here early in the morning, so I’m not too sure why he was up early but really, it probably doesn’t mean anything, I mean if the conditions were good,” Mike Robinson said.

Another paraglider crashed and died over the weekend, Fox News reports. Paul Johnson, 46, from Austin, Texas, was flying in New Mexico and crashed by an airport. His body was found in a field about a half-mile away from Angel Fire Airport on US 64. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

When a friend of the paraglider said he failed to show up by 10 a.m., he called authorities to search for him. The last time he saw him was 8:30 a.m., when he was supposed to lift off and meet him at another location. The cause of the paraglider’s crash is unknown.

Paragliders say there are inherent risks with this type of sports activity, but the experience is worth it. In both cases, the men from California and Texas paid for it with their lives.

KRQE News 13 further reports that the FAA isn’t investigating the accidents because paragliders aren’t required to be registered or licensed for personal flying.

The Inquisitr frequently covers unfortunate accidents involving paragliders. A few months ago, a hang glider taking lessons with an instructor crashed into a large truck in Las Vegas. It was a tragedy that involved the glider being tethered to the truck after it came crashing down.

Everyone in the community around Mussel Rock Park is shocked about the paraglider who crashed into the cliff. It’s just not something that happens there.

[Photo by Vladimir Rys / Bongarts / Getty Images]