Polish Paraglider Rescued in Dramatic Dhauladhar Hills Operation

A Polish paraglider, Andrew Babinski, was rescued from the Dhauladhar hills in Himachal Pradesh after a mid-air collision stranded him. Despite initial rescue attempts failing due to challenging terrain, Babinski was safely air-lifted and taken to a hospital. Meanwhile, adverse weather led to the cancellation of a Paragliding World Cup event.

A Polish paraglider, identified as Andrew Babinski, was safely rescued from the Dhauladhar hills in Himachal Pradesh's Kangra district after being stranded post a mid-air collision on Sunday. The challenging rescue operation, which initially struggled due to tough terrain, finally succeeded on Tuesday, officials announced.

Despite sustaining serious injuries, Babinski was air-lifted to Vivekananda Hospital Palampur, where he is currently out of danger. This incident coincided with the cancellation of the Tuesday task at the Paragliding World Cup 2024 in Bir Billing due to adverse weather conditions.

Organisers had planned a 148-kilometre course for the day, but poor visibility forced them to prioritize safety, cancelling the event and ensuring all participants landed safely at the designated site. Preparations for the ongoing eight-day event include extensive safety measures following fatal incidents last week.

(With inputs from agencies.)