ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 269006
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| Date: | Saturday 18 September 2021 |
| Time: | 16:45 LT |
| Type: | Powered Paraglider |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | Unregistered |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | near Loch Na Gainmhich, Lairg, Sutherland, south of Unapool, Scotland -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
Local media reported an accident involving 2 gliders. One glider pilot died, the other sustained serious injuries.
The incident happened just before 5pm on Saturday [18 September 2021] near Loch Na Gainmhich in Lairg, Sutherland in the Scottish Highlands. A man has died and a woman was seriously injured in an accident involving two powered paragliders in the Scottish Highlands.
Emergency services were called out to the incident, which happened south of Unapool in Wester Ross, on Saturday. Police and ambulance both attended the scene, while the fire service sent two pumps and a special resource vehicle from Inverness.
Police confirmed the death of one of the pilots of a paramotor. 'Police Scotland can confirm that a 54-year-old man has died and a woman has been seriously injured following a collision involving two paramotors yesterday afternoon,' said a Police Scotland spokesperson.
'Police were informed about the incident near Loch Na Gainmhich by the A894 shortly before 4.45pm and enquiries to establish the full circumstances are ongoing. The next of kin of those involved have been informed.'
The woman's injuries are not believed to be life threatening. A fire service spokesman said: 'We were called at around 5.54pm to assist police and ambulance with an aircraft accident involving two gliders near the A894 south of Unapool.We sent two pumps, along with a special appliance resource from Inverness. Two causalities have been reported, one male and one female.'
The female is understood to be the 'Human Swan' Sacha Dench. Ms Dench made headlines in 2016 when she travelled 4500 miles in a motorised paraglider from the Arctic to the UK following the migration route of the swan. It is understood the pair had been taking part in an expedition called Round Britain Climate Challenge, which was set to see Ms Dench circumnavigate over 3000 miles of the UK in a 'green' electricity-powered paramotor. She is recovering in Raigmore Hospital in Inverness from serious, but not life threatening injuries.
An Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) spokesman said the incident does not come under the AAIB’s remit to investigate, but is the domain of Police Scotland and the British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association.
Unapool is a small settlement in the Assynt district of Sutherland in the Highland council area of Scotland. It is located on the A894 between Durness and Ullapool. Ullapool and the A835 are located nearly 30 miles away. The nearest settlements to Unapool are Kylsesku and Newton.
Sources:
1. https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/highlands-islands/3479237/man-and-woman-injured-following-glider-accident-in-northern-highlands/
2. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10006557/Man-54-killed-woman-seriously-injured-paragliding-crash-Scottish-Highlands.html
3. https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/scottish-news/7723194/highlands-paragliding-crash-man-dies/
4. https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/tributes-paid-after-tragic-paraglider-25023351
5. Sascha Dench official website: https://www.sachadench.com/
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacha_Dench
7. https://www.johnogroat-journal.co.uk/news/climate-campaigner-sacha-dench-survives-paraglider-crash-whi-251615/
8. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/sep/20/climate-activist-sacha-dench-injured-and-colleague-killed-in-paramotor-accident
9. https://www.itv.com/news/2021-09-21/human-swans-family-pay-tribute-to-her-support-paramotorist-killed-in-crash
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unapool
Media:
Such sad news. A legend that we have lost. https://t.co/lxGse3WTBK
— Paul Chandler (@chandlerfish) September 20, 2021
Dan Burton has been named locally as the 54-year-old who died in the freak accident near Loch Na Gainmhich by the A894 shortly before 4.45pm on Saturday, September 18.https://t.co/5bF2GrAT4i
— The Daily Record (@Daily_Record) September 19, 2021
This is cool. @sachadench cruising around Britain in an electric paramotor #COP26:https://t.co/9pFeVxP6eu
— ElectricAir (@electricairline) September 15, 2021
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 17-Oct-2021 07:25 | Nicky nine-toes | Added |
| 17-Oct-2021 07:26 | harro | Updated [Aircraft type, Total occupants, Damage, Narrative] |
| 17-Oct-2021 17:41 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Registration, Operator, Other fatalities, Location, Phase, Nature, Source, Embed code, Damage, Narrative, Category] |
| 21-Oct-2021 19:18 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source, Embed code, Narrative, Category] |
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