Paraglider survives being sucked into stormA German paraglider pilot survived a rapid climb to around 30,000 feet after being sucked into a storm cell near Tamworth in northern New South Wales earlier this week.
A Chinese paraglider pilot died at the same time in similar circumstances.Paragliding expert and the organiser of next week's world paragliding championships near Tamworth, Godfrey Weness, says the event it is similar to climbing Mount Everest in less than 15 minutes.
"She was covered in ice all over her body and her harness and equipment - it's minus 40 to minus 50 degrees at that altitude," he said."There's no oxygen - she could have potentially suffered brain damage and other issues to do with hypoxia."
Mr Weness says the paraglider was unconscious for around an hour."She had ice secretion all over her body, the wing was covered in ice, internally as well," he said."She's got severe frost bite over her face and coming out in blisters."
The woman was taken to hospital but discharged shortly after.
Paraglider survives being sucked into storm. 16/02/2007. ABC News Online
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