Mid-air stunt goes wrong as 2 paragliderscrash into Tehri Lake; SDRF rescues pilots

Dehradun: A major mid-air scare unfolded over Uttarakhand's Tehri Lake when two experienced and professional paraglider pilots flying tandem in the three-day Acro Festival and SIV Championship plunged hundreds of feet below in the middle of the vast reservoir after an acro manoeuvre did not go as planned.Paraglider pilots Monu Thakur and Gaurav Thakur suddenly lost control and descended rapidly before splashing into the water, sending shockwaves among spectators gathered at the lakefront.What followed was a dramatic rescue effort by a team of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), which was deployed as part of the event's safety arrangements. Using an inflatable rubber boat, the alert SDRF team, acting swiftly, sped into the waters and safely pulled the two pilots out. Preliminary examinations confirmed that the duo were safe and did not suffer serious injuries.District tourism officer Sobat Singh Rana said the incident took place due to a "technical issue" when the pilots were attempting a manoeuvre on Thursday. "One of the parachutes failed to deploy, forcing the pilots to land in the lake," Rana said. He added that Monu and Gaurav -- both from Himachal Pradesh — were trained for such events.SDRF sub-inspector Pankaj Kharola said the paragliders took off from Pratapnagar and were scheduled to land at Koti near Tehri Lake. "Rescue teams were already positioned in the area, which helped in quick response," Kharola said.Acro (aerobatic) paragliding is an extreme aerial sport involving advanced mid-air maneuvers like wingovers, spirals and spins.The championship attracted several participants from 11 countries, making Tehri a busy centre for adventure sports this week. While the event saw several successful performances, officials said, "all safety protocols remained in place". It concluded on Friday with chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami in attendance.