Paraglider escapes death after plane clips chute in midair collision

A paraglider has caught a death-defying collision on camera after a small plane clipped her canopy, sending her spiralling thousands of feet above the Austrian Alps.

A 44-year-old woman was paragliding over the Piesendorf area of Salzburg on Saturday when a pilot flying a scenic flight struck her, Salzburg State Police say.

The 28-year-old pilot told authorities he was unable to avoid the collision.

"The propeller of the motor plane severely damaged the paraglider, prompting the experienced paraglider to deploy her reserve parachute," police said.

https://www.1news.co.nz/2026/05/25/paraglider-escapes-death-after-plane-clips-chute-in-midair-collision/

Note to Self: Self, your decision never to paraglide is vindicated.

Paragliders should use ADS-B. Then I read:

Unlike the US, Europe does not have a blanket ADS-B mandate for smaller, general aviation aircraft flying under Visual Flight Rules (VFR).

Note to self: Always check you pilot isn't Stevie Wonder...