Swiss aerial accidents leave three dead
It was a deadly weekend in the skies over Switzerland as a paraglider, a parachutist and a glider pilot lost their lives in separate incidents.
The pilot of a glider died on Saturday afternoon in the Swiss Jura after he lost control of the plane and it crashed to the ground.
The incident happened at around 3.30pm in a forested area in the commune of Montricher, Vaud cantonal police said in a statement.
Due to the mountainous geography of the region, rescue workers were called in to help, along with firemen and two local lumberjacks.
But despite rescue efforts the pilot, a Swiss man in his 60s, died at the scene.
Also on Saturday, a paraglider in his 70s died when taking off from the official launch site in Matzendorf, in the canton of Solothurn at around 1pm, cantonal police said.
The man lost control of his paraglider and fell 20 metres. Despite efforts to revive him, he died at the scene.
In a third incident on Sunday, a parachutist in his 40s died on the runway at the aerodrome in Bex, in the canton of Vaud, when he lost control of his descent, police said.
According to figures from the Swiss Alpine Club, rescue services were called to 173 accidents related to paragliding in 2015.
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The pilot of a glider died on Saturday afternoon in the Swiss Jura after he lost control of the plane and it crashed to the ground.
The incident happened at around 3.30pm in a forested area in the commune of Montricher, Vaud cantonal police said in a statement.
Due to the mountainous geography of the region, rescue workers were called in to help, along with firemen and two local lumberjacks.
But despite rescue efforts the pilot, a Swiss man in his 60s, died at the scene.
Also on Saturday, a paraglider in his 70s died when taking off from the official launch site in Matzendorf, in the canton of Solothurn at around 1pm, cantonal police said.
The man lost control of his paraglider and fell 20 metres. Despite efforts to revive him, he died at the scene.
In a third incident on Sunday, a parachutist in his 40s died on the runway at the aerodrome in Bex, in the canton of Vaud, when he lost control of his descent, police said.
According to figures from the Swiss Alpine Club, rescue services were called to 173 accidents related to paragliding in 2015.
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