Varkala paragliding accident: Three, including trainer, in police custody

Paragliding
Paragliding trainer Sandeep, Sandeep and woman tourist Pavithra stuck on a high mast lamp pole during paragliding. Photo: Manorama

Varkala: Three people were taken into custody by the Kerala Police on Wednesday over a freak paragliding accident which occurred at Papanasam Beach in Varkala.
Dramatic scenes had unfurled at the beach on Tuesday after a woman tourist Pavithra and a paragliding instructor got stuck on a high mast lamp pole.

The trainer Sandeep and employees of the paragliding firm Shreyas and Prabhudeva were taken into custody and charged with criminal negligence. 

The police have found that the adventure sport was held in Papanasam without the required permission. The company did not have a permit to fly in the area.

The two clung to the pole for their dear life for nearly one-and-a-half hours. They finally let go of the pole and fell from a height of 25 feet but landed safely on an elevated rescue net put up by Fire and Rescue Services personnel.

While paragliding trainer Sandeep suffered a minor injury to his hand, the woman tourist from Coimbatore escaped unhurt.

The mishap happened when the glider they were flying hit the pole.  

The comments posted here/below/in the given space are not on behalf of Onmanorama. The person posting the comment will be in sole ownership of its responsibility. According to the central government's IT rules, obscene or offensive statement made against a person, religion, community or nation is a punishable offense, and legal action would be taken against people who indulge in such activities.