Friday, November 22
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Terrifying moment two paragliders collide at nearly 5,000ft

This is the heart-stopping moment two paraglider pilots collided at 4,757ft and plummeted into trees below but miraculously walked away unscathed.

The multiple perspective compilation, filmed on May 22nd at Aiguebelette-le-Lac in France, shows the moment the two paragliders crash due to converging winds.

The two terrified pilots then plummet towards the forest below frantically trying to deploy their reserve wings.

Both pilots hit the forest canopy and are left dangling from the trees.

One pilot ,Sébastien Watier, lost consciousness while hung up in a tree but they were otherwise unharmed.

Watier, 31, said, “regarding the circumstances, we are both in the wrong because we were both in a thermal wind on converging routes.

“A lack of vigilance on the part of both of us led to the collision.

“The female paraglider was not injured but I was suspended five meters from the ground and suffered harness syndrome, the compression of blood circulation in the lower body, which led to a loss of consciousness for ten minutes.

“During the incident I remained very calm in order to manage and analyse the situation as well as possible. I took a few seconds to open the rescue parachute because I wanted to find the best way out.”

Watier continued, “after speaking with numerous instructors, they said that in this situation, lowering the main wing to allow the rescue wing to deploy is very complicated when the wing is twisted above.”

Amazingly, after the incident Watier resumed his paragliding flights the next morning using other equipment.

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