Romanian paraglider crashes to death in Nepal: Police

Romanian paraglider crashes to death in Nepal: Police

KATHMANDU - A Romanian paraglider has died after crashing into a hill at a popular Nepalese tourist resort, a local police official said Thursday.

The 35-year-old had taken off on a solo paragliding flight on Wednesday afternoon from Sarangkot in Pokhara, around 150 kilometres west of the capital Kathmandu.

Local villagers alerted the police when they saw him slam into a hill, 22 kilometres from the take-off site.

"We immediately brought him to a hospital, but he died Wednesday evening while undergoing treatment," said police official, Basanta Kumar Lama.

"Embassy officials have been alerted. We are investigating the cause of the accident," Lama told AFP.

Pokhara has long been a popular destination for adrenaline junkies, thanks to its scenic mountain views and clear, dry winters.

More than 500,000 tourists, including thousands of paragliders, visit Nepal every year and tourism is one of the major contributors to the economy of the impoverished Himalayan nation.

A South Korean paraglider also died in Pokhara in 2013 when his emergency parachute failed to open.

This website is best viewed using the latest versions of web browsers.