A young paraglider has died after crashing near Willard Peak in Utah

The 25-year-old was fatally injured while paragliding near Willard Peak in northern Utah on October 25. The identity of the young man remains unknown for now.

According to the Box Elder County Sheriff’s Office, the alarm was raised on Sunday around 7:30 p.m. when the young man did not return. The services immediately jumped into action and began operations.

“A search and rescue operation was initiated and a Department of Public Safety (DPS) helicopter was dispatched to assist,” the Box Elder County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. social media post. “Unfortunately, the helicopter identified the debris field and confirmed that a paraglider was involved in a fatal accident near Willard Peak.” The DPS helicopter managed to recover his body.

“We offer our deepest condolences to the family and friends affected by this tragic loss,” the sheriff’s office wrote. “Our thoughts are with all those affected by this incident.”

This tragedy occurred just two weeks after a previous paragliding accident in Utah that resulted in the death of 56-year-old David Gest, an Illinois resident. The crash occurred in the southern portion of Flight Park State Recreation Area in Utah County after Gest was unable to regain control in flight. Following the incident, Gest was transported to Intermountain Medical Center, where he later died from his injuries.

Journals of the Sages published a study, Quantifying Risk in Air Sports: Aviation Activity and Accident Rates in Paragliading, two years ago, who discussed in detail the incidence of paragliding injuries. The study found that 6 percent of 1,788 participants had to seek medical attention or miss work due to a paragliding injury in 2019. Adventure sports, including paragliding, carry enormous risks for all participants. While athletes do their best to minimize these risks, unexpected challenges do occur.

Authorities are urgently investigating the 25-year-old’s accident.