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It’s been a rough month for paragliding in the Western Cape—three fatalities in as many weeks. One might say gravity has been particularly unforgiving lately.
The latest incident took place on Saturday, February 8, when a 53-year-old man crashed in Stellenbosch. Paramedics rushed him to the hospital, where, despite medical intervention, he ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
Louis Stanford, chairman of the South African Hang-gliding and Paragliding Association (SAHPA), confirmed the accident, stating it occurred around 12:30 pm on the foothills of Stellenbosch Mountain. The victim, a South African national, had been enjoying a solo recreational flight—until he wasn’t.
He said the cause of the accident is not known at this stage.
“The Accident and Incident Investigation Division (AIID) has been notified. SAHPA will be appointing an accident investigator to conduct an investigation,” Stanford said.
Meanwhile, Western Cape police spokesperson Warrant Officer Joseph Swartbooi confirmed that an inquest has been opened. “Cape Town Central police responded to a complaint on Sunday, February 9, 2025. Upon arrival at a medical facility at about 2:46 pm, they found the body of a 53-year-old man from Stellenbosch who succumbed to his injuries,” he said.
Authorities are appealing for any information regarding the incident. In other words, if you saw something, say something. You can call Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or use the mobile application MySAPS anonymously.
This marks the third fatality in a month.
On January 22, a 67-year-old paragliding instructor was found dead in Citrusdal after setting off on a solo cross-country flight. When he didn’t return, police tracked his GPS coordinates to a river on a farm, where his paraglider and equipment lay abandoned—an ominous conclusion to what was presumably meant to be a scenic adventure.
And before that, on January 9, a Swiss tourist met a tragic end after launching from Piekenierskloof in Citrusdal with a group of five other gliders. He lost contact with the group and was later found in Waterval Nature Reserve.
Investigators are now looking into all three incidents in hopes of uncovering what went wrong—and, ideally, preventing future tragedies. But as Stanford pointed out, that’s no overnight task considering all the evidence gathering, analysis, and reports writing.
“Sometimes I know the pilot, sometimes I don’t,” he said. “Every fatal accident weighs heavily on me because I witness the profound and devastating loss for friends and family.”
And with three crashes in quick succession, one can only hope this streak of misfortune isn’t turning into a trend.
[Source: IOL]
