Video catches shocking moment paragliders collide, tumble into ocean

Three paragliders collided with each other and then plummeted into the ocean in a shocking accident Saturday during an air show in Oludeiz, Turkey, according to Sputnik News.

The mishap was captured on video in a nail-biting, 27-second clip, which a spectator recorded on their cellphone. The video starts off typically enough with a squadron of paragliders descending from the sky. Then, all of a sudden, two daredevils’ chutes become entangled, causing them to spiral 70 feet down into the sea as onlookers cry out in shock.

The footage then cuts to medics retrieving the victims from the drink and then transporting them away on stretchers on the beach.

According to Sputnik, three gliders were involved — identified as Çağdaş Türkmen, Ibrahim Kars and Murat Can Sak — who were then ferried to a hospital, where two are now said to be stable, while the third is in “serious” condition.

Paragliders collided in mid-air in Turkey during an air show.
Paragliders collided in mid-air in Turkey during an air show.
Reuters
Shocking video captured the collision and the fall into the ocean.
Shocking video captured the collision and the fall into the ocean.
Reuters
Three individuals were hospitalized following the  incident.
Three individuals were hospitalized following the incident.
Reuters

Unfortunately, that wasn’t the only mid-air mishap to occur that day. Turkish emergency services were forced to rescue a Ukrainian paraglider from the sea after she apparently lost control and plummeted into the water, Reuters reported. The 28-year-old woman — identified as Maria Protsluk — had reportedly taken off from a 5,500-foot runway, whereupon her equipment failed in mid-air, The Sun reported.

Rescuers converge on the fallen paragliders.
Rescuers converge on the fallen paragliders.
Reuters
An injured paraglider is rescued at sea.
An injured paraglider is rescued at sea.
Reuters
Medics tend to one of the injured paragliders.
Medics tend to one of the injured paragliders.
Reuters

The prognosis initially didn’t look good as the daredevil was discovered appearing “lifeless” in the water, according to the Sun, which noted that later reports said she had to be “brought back from the dead” after swalling her tongue during the ordeal.

Thankfully, Protsluk was eventually ferried to the hospital, where she is in stable condition.

source: nypost.com