Paragliding accident on Emberger Alm: emergency doctor on duty after turbulence

Paragliding accident on Emberger Alm: emergency doctor on duty after turbulence

On June 11, 2025, tragic paragliding accidents occurred in Austria, once again illustrating the risks of this popular sport. A 77-year-old German paraglider got out of control on the Emberger Alm due to strong turbulence.

During the landing approach, he collided with a parked car in a parking lot of a company building. There was significant damage to the vehicle, while the pilot had to be flown to the Spittal an der Drau district hospital with injuries of an unspecified degree. First aid was provided by Red Cross paramedics and the emergency teams of an emergency helicopter [gailtal-journal.at] reports that...

Various fatal accidents

However, the day's events were not limited to this incident. Two other accidents claimed the lives of three people, including a ten-year-old girl and a 55-year-old woman from Germany. The first accident occurred near the Choralpe in Westendorf, where a 60-year-old tandem pilot with the child encountered turbulence after take-off. Both suffered serious injuries when they fell into a young forest and died at the scene of the accident.

Almost at the same time, another serious crash took place near Sillianberg, in which the 55-year-old paraglider fell to the ground from a height of around 100 meters. Here too, the conditions were dramatic and the woman was left motionless after the impact. First aid measures could not help her; she also died at the scene [tag24.de] reports that...

Safety aspects of paragliding

Paragliding, despite its fascination, involves risks that have been discussed again and again in recent years. Experts point out that such accidents, although rarer than in other air sports such as gliding or motorized flying, can result in serious injuries and deaths. There are currently around 25,000 active paragliders registered in Germany. Around 120 accidents involving serious injuries occur every day, and an average of nine deaths occur each year.

The dangerous potential of paragliding is due, among other things, to the fact that paragliders do not provide a protective cockpit, which leads to more frequent injuries. While the structures of the paragliders are very safe and subject to rigorous testing, compliance with safety precautions and assessment of flying weather remain crucial. Experts emphasize that turbulence is particularly problematic for paragliders. Good risk awareness and prudence are essential in order to glide safely through the air [oase-paragliding.com] reports that...

The incidents of June 11, 2025 clearly show how important it is to take safety measures in paragliding seriously and not to underestimate the dangers that exist in unforeseen conditions.