Shock in Kirchschlag: paragliders (72) seriously injured in the event of an accident!

Shock in Kirchschlag: paragliders (72) seriously injured in the event of an accident!

Kirchschlag bei Linz, Österreich - On April 16, 2025, a serious accident occurred in Kirchschlag near Linz, in which a 72-year-old parag leader from the Urfahr-Umgebung district was seriously injured. The incident happened around 12:57 p.m. when the affected parag leader, who started a flight together with his son, was in the air for about ten minutes. For reasons that have been unexplained so far, he collided with a telephone mast. The force of the impact was so strong that the mast broke. The paraglideau then crashed and remained seriously injured on the ground while his son watched the crash out of the air.

The son recognized the critical situation of his father and immediately flew to the scene of the accident. Once there, he immediately alerted the rescue workers. These arrived shortly afterwards and took over the medical care of the seriously injured man, who was then brought to the Linz accident hospital. The exact circumstances of the accident and the reasons for the collision with the mast are currently still unclear, which in such cases often leads to further investigations.

background to parag lead

According to a study that deals with paraglide accidents in the Alps, around 100,000 people worldwide practice this sport. The previous research focused primarily on retrospective data from hospitals and rescue organizations, while accident causes and influencing factors were often inadequate. In an analysis of 487 accidents with conventional paragliders, which took place between 2015 and 2017 in Austria, Germany, Switzerland and Italy, it turned out that 88.5 % of the pilots concerned were male and the average age of the pilots was 42.9 years

Most accidents occurred in the summer during the afternoon, the majority of the incidents occurred during the flight phase. Pilot errors and unfavorable wind conditions, such as strong winds or gusts, are among the most common causes of accidents. In 14.6 % of the cases, the pilots were unharmed, but the lower extremities in 35.5 % of the injured people were affected. Special risks also arise from the turbulent conditions, especially in the summer months, which can lead to a higher number of accidents.

conclusions and recommendations

The study points out that the outcome was fatal in 45 of the 487 accidents. This illustrates the dangers associated with parag lead. In order to increase security, training courses are recommended for dealing with difficult situations and more consistent documentation of paraglide accidents. The introduction of a uniform, cross -border form to record accidents could also lead to comparable data that could be decisive for future examinations and the improvement of the security standards in this sports area.