A 58-year-old Irish man drowned following a tandem paragliding accident in Sea Point earlier this evening (Monday).
According to the South African Hang-gliding and Paragliding Association (SAHPA), two tandem pilots, flying from Signal Hill, collided mid-air above the Sea Point Promenade.
SAHPA is mandated by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to oversee the sports of paragliding, hang-gliding, paramotor and speed flying.
Louis Stanford, chair of the SAHPA, says one pilot and his passenger landed safely while the second pilot used his reserve parachute.
“The one pilot ended up throwing his reserve parachute and he ended up in the water. From what we understand, is that the passenger drowned. The other pilot with his passenger landed safely. The pilot, who landed in the water, was pulled out. The waves were quite strong.
“A number of our pilots jumped into the water to try and rescue, and a few of them also got mildly injured,” he explains.
Stanford says this is the first tandem fatality in over two decades.
“Our condolences go out to the family,” he says. “Normally these tandem operations are run safely in a strict set of parameters. This is a very sad accident and the Civil Aviation Authority will be investigating.”
According to SAHPA’s website, all prospective paragliding and hang-gliding pilots in South Africa are required to complete a comprehensive training programme with an approved school before obtaining a National Pilot’s Licence (NPL).
The NPL is issued by the CAA, which also provides regulatory oversight of all aviation schools in the country. Pilots are also required to be members of SAHPA.
Craig Lambinon, National Sea Rescue Institute spokesperson, says: “On arrival on the scene, an adult male pilot of the tandem paraglider from the paraglider that had reportedly deployed the reserve parachute was safely on the shore he was treated for minor injuries. The tandem passenger, a 58-year-old Irish man, was on the rocks in the water offshore of Sea Point Promenade.”
Lambinon says NSRI rescue swimmers and paramedics assisted the man.
“He was freed from paragliding gear and recovered onto the rocks where CPR efforts commenced. Despite extensive CPR efforts, he was sadly declared deceased by paramedics. The body of the man was recovered on the shoreline and taken into the care of police and government health forensic pathology services. Condolences are conveyed to the family of the deceased man.”
Lambinon says an inquest docket has been opened by police.
Nicola Jowell, Ward 54 councillor, says: “It is terribly tragic that an incident like this has happened. The management and oversight of the paragliders and their activities are run by the CAA that will monitor incidents. We do hope they will launch an investigation on what happened and also they will investigate what preventative measures need to be put in place to prevent an incident like this from happening again.”
