Pokhara, March 5

Following the deaths of two persons in four different paragliding accidents in Pokhara in the last three days, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal has banned paragliders from taking solo flights in the sky of Lake City.

According to Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal Pokhara Chief Bhola Prasad Guragain, CAAN today decided not to allow solo paragliding flights until further notice.

A Russian national Dmitvil Stepanishin, 42, died in a paragliding accident today. On a solo flight from Sarangkot of Pokhara metropolis, Stepanishin had an accident shortly after take-off, said Kaski District Police Office Spokesperson Deputy Superintendent of Police Rabindraman Gurung. The injured tourist was rushed to Pokhara-based Metro City Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Earlier, a Romanian tourist Ebe Chis Jer, aged 42, died in a similar accident after he had flown from Sarangkot on Sunday. He fell in the Phewa lake with the paragliding wing. The fatal accident then was followed by two other accidents the next day when two adventure seekers were injured. While a polish national Janusz Karol, 37, was injured in an accident while flying in Thanti of Machhapuchhre Rural Municipality, a Russian tourist got injured in yet another accident in Chhachok of Madi Rural Municipality.

With the latest deaths, the death toll in such accidents in the Lake City since it was introduced by English national Adam Hill and a local of Pokhara Biru Bamjan 21 years ago has reached 14.

A series of paragliding accidents in recent days has thrown a question over the future of the adventure sport, according to Guragain. “CAAN will investigate the incidents,” he added.

Guragain said his office has sought clarification from companies from where adventure seekers who died in flight had taken off.

The metropolitan city office has also warned all paragliding companies to pay the local tax by tomorrow.

“Metropolitan city has decided to bar paragliding companies from operating if they fail to pay local taxes by tomorrow,” Ward No 18 Chairperson Rana Bahadur Thapa of Pokhara metropolis said.

According to metropolitan city’s record, at least 61 companies have been found to be operating without paying taxes to the local authorities.

Pokhara metropolis Mayor Man Bahadur GC also clarified that no paragliding company could be exempt from taxes and must ensure security guarantee of those involved in the sport. He also stressed the need for regular monitoring of companies.

Nepal Airsports Association General Secretary Basantaraj Dawadi blamed the authority’s failure to monitor services for the recent accidents. “Ban on solo flights can’t be a solution,” he said.

Kaski District Police Office Chief Superintendent of Police Om Rana cited a number of factors that have contributed to the accidents. “No coordination with the security agencies is sought, the tendency among fresh pilots to take charge of flights and show unnecessary aerobatics and also to launch flights in new places. These have caused the accidents,” said Rana.

An old para-pilot Rajesh Bamjan blamed pilots’ habit of not taking account the weather condition as the main reason for increasing accidents.

There are a total of 62 paragliding companies that are operating commercial flights in Pokhara. In the peak season, up to 300 persons enjoy paragliding a day here.

Accident victims

• A person in Palpa two decades ago. Name and nationality not recorded
• Peter, Malaysia, 70, in 2010, Pokhara
• Christoph Andreas, Germany, 26, in 2010, Pokhara
• Kiddi Askin Alexander, Russian, 38, in Dhiki Danda Armala, Kaski, February 2010
• Young Min Sam, South Korean, 43, in 2013, Pokhara
• Premek Hulek, Czech Republic, in Angeri bhir, Kuhun VDC, Myagdi, March 2014
• Hwane Yan Gak, 46, South Korea, in January 2015
• Ioan Dragos, Romanian, 35, then Puranchar VDC, Kaski, in 2015
• Sunil Bhattarai at Phewa Lake, 2015
• Sailesh Pahari, 22, in Syangja, 2016
• Prabhat Subedi, 27, in Phewa Lake, Pokhara, 2017
• Michael Peter Plamchapd, 68, from UK, in Sarangkot, 2017
• Ebe Chis Jer, Romanian, 42, in Phewa Lake on March 3, 2019
• Dmitvil Stepanisin, Russian, 42, in Sarangkot, on March 5, 2019