Pilot, tourist rescued after emergency landing in hills

A pilot and a tourist had a narrow escape after losing their route and failing to land at the designated site near Chogan in Bir. Pilot Ajay Thakur and tourist Yogesh were on a tandem paragliding flight when they encountered bad weather and poor thermals, causing them to miss the landing zone.

Thanks to the pilot’s experience and knowledge of the Dhauladhar’s challenging terrain, they made a safe emergency landing near Thathi village, 7,000 feet above sea level.

The two contacted the Bir Billing Paragliding Association for help, and volunteers rescued them from the high hills last evening.

Local travel agents and hotel owners expressed concerns about inadequate safety measures for paragliding in the area, highlighting the risks posed by the lack of government action.