Shimla: The mountains of Bir-Billing, an internationally famed paragliding site in Himachal Pradesh, fell silent on Friday as they lost one of their most trusted guardians--- Mohan Singh, 35, a seasoned paragliding pilot, in a mid-air crash during a tandem flight.
A tourist flying with him, however, survived with multiple injuries. Known for his extremely remarkable judgment and patience, Singh died while trying to save the fellow tourist, who had come on holiday from West Bengal.
The tragic crash occurred shortly after Singh and the tourist took off from Billing, according to reports reaching Shimla. Though the air was stable and weather conditions also favourable, which was enough for a trained pilot to take the plunge in the mountain valley that is often seen as one of the longest and safest flights, this one was not one to be proud.
“When conditions briefly appeared to be favourable. Moments later, the wind suddenly shifted. The glider lost lift and began to descend rapidly. Realising the danger, Singh’s instinct was that the safety of the passenger comes first and thereafter his own protection.
Singh first secured the passenger strapped to him and made a desperate attempt to prevent the glider from collapsing. But events went beyond his control.