Video: Gujarat tourist dies after paraglider crashes in Himachal
What's the story
A tragic paragliding accident occurred on Monday evening at a non-notified site at Bangotu, which is above the Indrunag paragliding site near Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh. The victim, identified as 25-year-old Ahmedabad resident Satish Rajesh Bhai, was on a trip when the incident took place. The accident occurred right after take-off, injuring both Satish and his pilot, Suraj.
Incident report
Man succumbs to his injuries, pilot being treated
Satish suffered severe injuries to the head, mouth, and other parts of the body. He was first rushed to the Zonal Hospital in Dharamshala. He was later referred to Dr. Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College in Tanda, Kangra, where he succumbed to his injuries. The pilot is currently being treated at Bala Ji Hospital in Kangra.
Ongoing probe
Investigation underway to determine possible violations of safety norms
The incident has sparked an investigation into possible violations of paragliding safety norms. Kangra district tourism development officer Vinay Dhiman said preliminary inquiries indicate a violation of HP Aero-Sports Rules 2022. "The tandem flight's take-off was done from a site which is not notified," Dhiman said, adding that no marshal was present at the site during the incident.
Legal action
Show-cause notices issued to both the pilot and operator
In light of these findings, show-cause notices have been issued to both the pilot and operator involved in the incident. Appropriate legal action will be taken after their response is received. This was not the first such incident at Indrunag this year; a similar accident claimed the life of 19-year-old Bhavsar Khushi from Ahmedabad in January.
Twitter Post
Video of the incident on X
Still don’t get how people trust adventure sports in India. Another life lost in Indrunag Dharamshala — 25 year old Satish from Gujarat. Just months ago a 19 year old girl lost her life at the same spot. The site was closed till September, but flights were still taking place. pic.twitter.com/fPv4XujHzf
— Nikhil saini (@iNikhilsaini) July 14, 2025
Safety measures
HP's Kangra district bans paragliding after 2 fatal accidents
In light of these incidents and the ongoing monsoon season, Deputy Commissioner of Kangra Haimraj Bairwa has imposed a complete ban on paragliding across the district. The ban will remain in effect till September 15. Over 12 people have died while paragliding in Himachal Pradesh over the last 30 months. However, the majority of deaths were attributed to free fliers who enter high-risk zones or inner valleys with minimal awareness of topography and local wind conditions.