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Paragliding Grandad’s Alps nightmare: Wing Collapse at 9,000ft
A Retired Counter-Terrorism Officer faced a terrifying ordeal when his paraglider wing collapsed high above The French Alps. Steve Barnett, 57, encountered a severe storm, leading to a dramatic and near-fatal paragliding accident.
The harrowing Descent
The Incident occurred when Barnett flew into storm clouds at an altitude of 9,000 feet. The waterlogged wing lost its structure.This triggered an emergency landing attempt that quickly spiraled out of control. He plummeted approximately 30 feet through dense trees before hitting the ground.
The Impact resulted in a broken pelvis, sustained upon hitting the ground at an estimated 40 miles per hour.
A Call for Help
Following the crash, Barnett contacted fellow paraglider Matt Roach, 47, for assistance. Roach, who was airborne at the time, located barnett and instantly alerted rescue services.
A Rescue helicopter was dispatched to Passy, south eastern France, near the Italian border, to airlift Barnett to a nearby hospital.
Quick Recovery and Undeterred Spirit
Remarkably, Barnett was discharged from the hospital just two days later and returned to his home in Seaford, East Sussex.
Recounting the incident, Barnett described the sudden onslaught of the storm: “There was a big cloud and I started hearing a pitter patter on the wing.
