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Ezra Cheung

Jeffie Lam

A 74-year-old paraglider was rescued by firefighters in Hong Kong after he was trapped on a hillside ridge for six hours, police said on Saturday.
The force said fire services personnel had located the man, surnamed To, who crashed earlier near the Dragon’s Back hiking trail in Shek O, at around 11.30pm on Friday night, and subsequently sent him to Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital.
A police spokeswoman added the man was conscious when found.
The rescue operation was launched after police were alerted at around 5.30pm on Friday that the man’s paraglider had hit the hillside and he was stranded about 200 metres (656 feet) from the trail.

Ambulance personnel arrived at the scene and at one point called in a helicopter to help in the search.
Fire crews were called in around 7pm to open up a path to the crash site.
Police said the man had an abrasion on his left hand and that the cause of the accident was under investigation.
Shek O is a paragliding hotspot, with a take-off area available 280 metres above the coastline.
The flight range covers Shek O Country Club, Shek O Beach and Cape D’Aguilar, with a landing site at Rocky Bay Beach.
Hong Kong ombudsman calls for real-time registration of paragliders
The news came as Taiwan media reported that a 53-year-old Hong Kong woman broke a leg and injured her head after crosswinds caused her tandem paraglider to crash in Yilan’s Toucheng township on Friday morning.
The woman, surnamed Cheung, was under instruction by a Taiwanese coach on the two-seat paraglider at the time of the crash. The pair were sent to the National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University Hospital for treatment.
Dragon’s Back in Hong Kong has seen serious paragliding accidents in the past.
A 74-year-old man died in December 2021 after he lost control of his paraglider when the wind direction changed suddenly.
Police later found the unconscious victim in To Tei Wan, 2km (1.2 miles) from Dragon’s Back. He was rushed to hospital, but later certified dead.
Hiker, 59, dies after falling ill, passing out on Hong Kong country park trail
Hong Kong Paragliding School operator Yuen Wai-kit insisted it was very safe to paraglide and expressed hope that members of the public would not assume the sport was dangerous because of isolated incidents.
“Accidents can happen in various sports – be it cycling or soccer – only that people do not pay special attention to it,” he said, adding the elderly man in the latest incident was only trapped and not severely injured.
Yuen said he was not in a position to comment on Friday’s incident as he was not present. He reminded participants not to be too aggressive while paragliding and they should also take advice from others, including coaches.
“Do not take any risk,” warned Yuen, who has paraglided for 23 years. “Just enjoy the flying experience and go home safe.”


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Accidents and personal safety in Hong Kong

Hong Kong emergency services rescue paraglider, 74, after crash on hillside

A bird’s eye view from the Dragon’s Back, where a paraglider crashed on Friday. Photo: Shutterstock

A paraglider in action near the spot on Dragon’s Back where a fellow enthusiast crashed on Friday. Photo: SCMP

News

Hong Kong

Society

Paraglider was stranded for six hours near Dragon’s Back hiking trail, according to police
Ambulance service, firefighters, police and helicopter mobilised to help in operation


Paraglider was stranded for six hours near Dragon’s Back hiking trail, according to police.


Shek O

Hong Kong rescue services

Hong Kong hiking

Taiwan

Hong Kong emergency services rescue paraglider, 74, after crash on hillside

Paraglider was stranded for six hours near Dragon’s Back hiking trail, according to police Ambulance service, firefighters, police and helicopter mobilised to help in operation

Paraglider was stranded for six hours near Dragon’s Back hiking trail, according to police

Ambulance service, firefighters, police and helicopter mobilised to help in operation