The two pilots had taken off from the internationally renowned Bir-Billing paragliding site in the afternoon for a solo flight. Officials said they flew towards Jalsu Jot in the Dhauladhar ranges and were expected to land back at the Chogan landing site. However, both reportedly crash-landed in the rugged mountains after encountering difficulty during the flight.
Despite being injured, the pilots managed to send distress messages through their mobile phones to the Bir-Billing Paragliding Association and the district administration. Following this, a rescue mission was launched immediately. Owing to the difficult terrain and inaccessible location, the assistance of the IAF was sought and a helicopter was pressed into service.
Baijnath Sub-Divisional Magistrate Sankalp Gautam said both the injured pilots identified as Arun Singh from Rajasthan and Rajan Gupta from Gujarat. Both suffered fractures and were shifted to Vivekananda Medical Institute, Palampur, for treatment after being airlifted to safety.
The latest accident has once again brought the spotlight on safety concerns at Bir-Billing, one of the world’s most popular paragliding destinations. While the site draws thousands of domestic and foreign tourists every year due to its favourable flying conditions and scenic beauty, a number of mishaps in recent years have raised questions over monitoring, pilot discipline and emergency preparedness.
Earlier, Polish paraglider Andrew Babinski was rescued after remaining stranded for nearly three days in the higher reaches of the Dhauladhar mountains following a mid-air collision. A month earlier, a Belgian pilot lost his life after colliding with another paraglider shortly after take-off.
Several other accidents, including hard landings, off-course drifting and weather-related crashes, have also been reported from the area during peak flying seasons. Rescue teams often face severe challenges due to changing weather, poor visibility and difficult mountain terrain.
Bir-Billing hosted the Paragliding World Cup in 2023,2024 and 2025 and earned global recognition as the paragliding capital of India. However, experts say that with the growing number of flyers, stricter enforcement of safety regulations, pilot briefings, weather surveillance and emergency response systems are essential to maintain the site’s reputation and ensure safer skies for adventure enthusiasts.
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