A paraglider narrowly escaped death after a small plane collided with her mid-air over the Austrian Alps on Saturday, an incident captured on video that has since gone viral. The 44-year-old Austrian woman, identified only as Sabrina, was celebrating her birthday while paragliding near the Schmittenhöhe mountain region in Salzburg when the accident occurred.
Collision Details
According to Salzburg State Police, a Cessna 172 operated by a 28-year-old pilot struck the paraglider, damaging her glider and causing her to lose control. Sabrina quickly deployed her reserve parachute, which slowed her descent and allowed her to make an emergency landing in a grassy area. She was later airlifted by a police helicopter for medical evaluation, but neither she nor the pilot sustained serious injuries, police confirmed.
Video Captures Terrifying Moment
Sabrina shared a video of the collision on Instagram, showing her gliding peacefully before the sound of an engine grows louder. A white plane suddenly enters the frame and tears through her glider just above her head. The impact sends her spinning uncontrollably, but she manages to pull her reserve parachute handle. The parachute opens, slowing her fall as her shredded glider trails behind. She can be heard screaming before landing safely. The clip ends with her catching her breath and expressing disbelief.
In an Instagram post, Sabrina wrote: "I actually still can’t believe that I’m sitting here typing this. And apart from a few nasty bruises and bruises all around, nothing really happened." She noted that the collision occurred on her birthday, adding to the surreal nature of the event.
Investigation Underway
Local authorities are investigating the incident, which took place over the Piesendorf area. The pilot, whose identity has not been released, is cooperating with police. The incident highlights the dangers of airspace sharing between recreational gliders and small aircraft, especially in popular mountainous regions like the Austrian Alps.
