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Paraglider, 27, Dies After Wing Collapse Shortly After Takeoff in Chamonix

Officials reported good weather, leaving the cause of the wing's failure unknown.

Overview

  • The crash occurred around 12:45 p.m. Saturday shortly after launch from the Plan Praz plateau beneath the Brévent.
  • Witness accounts reported the canopy went into a torched configuration, preventing the pilot from regaining control.
  • The victim struck steep slopes in the couloirs below the Brévent and was declared dead at the scene.
  • Three mountain-rescue gendarmes intervened quickly but were unable to resuscitate the pilot.
  • The Chamonix high-mountain gendarmerie said conditions were favorable at the time, and no explanation for the failure has been determined.