Motorized paraglider gets caught in cable lines after emergency landing

Aug 28, 2023

Firefighters in the Okanagan area responded to a rescue call Friday after a paraglider got stuck in a set of cable and telephone lines.

According to the City of Vernon, just before 8 pm, Vernon Fire Rescue was called to the scene near 43rd Avenue and 32nd Street.

The City said drivers called in to say a person on a fan-powered paraglider was stuck about 20 feet off the ground.

"Firefighters parked a fire engine under the patient to keep him from falling and then used the bucket of a ladder truck to safely remove him, the machine and the parachute from the wires and return them to the ground," a release from the City reads.

RCMP closed 32nd Street in both directions while the rescue took place, and traffic was stopped or rerouted for around 20 minutes.

"It appears the paraglider ran out of fuel, and the operator had to make an emergency landing," Deputy Fire Chief Alan Hofsink said.

Hofsink added that the paraglider was assessed by paramedics on site, and no injuries were reported.

BC Hydro also attended the scene, but no power lines were involved in the incident.

Follow Channels and Categories