Canadian paraglider Megan Elizabeth found dead after crash in Himachal’s Dhauladhar Ranges
PTC Web Desk: A 27-year-old Canadian paraglider, Megan Elizabeth, who had gone missing after her glider crashed in the higher reaches of the Dhauladhar ranges on Saturday, was found dead on Monday by a rescue team.
According to officials, the Baijnath administration launched a large-scale search operation on Sunday with the help of climbers and volunteers from the Bir Billing Paragliding Association (BPA). Megan, who was flying solo, had taken off from Billing and was scheduled to land at Chogan, but lost her route and crash-landed near Talan Jot, north of the Himani Chamunda temple, at an altitude of about 3,900 metres.
Rahul Singh, a member of the rescue team, was the first to be air-dropped into the rugged area on Sunday evening. He reached the crash site late at night and found Megan unresponsive. Authorities believe she died due to severe cold exposure and injuries sustained upon impact with the rocky terrain.
He stayed with the body overnight in freezing temperatures. On Monday morning, five additional rescue members were airlifted to the site and, together, they moved the body around 500 metre uphill to facilitate airlifting. The remains were later transported to Gaggal Airport and sent for post-mortem examination at Tanda Medical College. The body will be handed over to the Canadian Embassy in New Delhi, which has been informed about the incident.
Officials noted that Megan was not familiar with the challenging topography of the Dhauladhar mountains. Sudden weather fluctuations and treacherous terrain have long made the region perilous for paragliders.
Over the past five years, a total of 26 paragliding crashes have been recorded across Kangra and Mandi districts, resulting in 12 fatalities, including several foreign nationals, and numerous injuries. In some cases, rescue teams have struggled to even locate the pilot or the glider due to the region’s difficult conditions.
- With inputs from agencies
