A frozen paraglider was left suspended over 28,000ft in the air in -40C conditions after a vortex dragged him into the sky.
Terrifying footage captured the man becoming trapped in a rare ‘cloud suction’ during a flight over China on Saturday.
The paraglider, who miraculously survived the chilling ordeal, managed to catch a clip moment of the incident on camera which has now made its rounds on social media.
The unnamed man took off for his flight from an altitude of around 9,800ft over the Qilian Mountains, according to local media reports.
But in a horror twist, the paraglider quickly lost control of his equipment and was yanked thousands of feet into the icy air – almost the height at which passenger aeroplanes may cruise.
The frightening footage reveals the severity of the conditions the paraglider had to endure. He was left with extensive frostbite following the ordeal.
In the clip, the man can be seen clinging onto his parachute as he soars through the air.
Visibility is poor as he is rapidly sucked to high altitudes over the snow-topped mountains.
Terrifying footage captured the paraglider becoming trapped in a rare ‘cloud suction’ during a flight over China on Saturday
The paraglider, who miraculously survived the chilling ordeal, managed to catch a clip moment of the incident on camera which has now made its rounds on social media
The unnamed man took off for his flight from an altitude of around 9,800ft over the Qilian Mountains
But at one point, the paraglider can be seen dangling above the clouds – visibly frozen with his hair, beard, and protective gear covered in frost.
He was not wearing an oxygen mask which left him fully exposed to the dangerous elements.
However, the man miraculously remained conscious throughout the ordeal and managed to successfully land his parachute safely.
Following the incident, he recalled experiencing hypoxia and having his hands exposed to the freezing cold temperatures above the clouds, according to local reports.
‘I just kept communicating over the radio the entire time,’ he said.
An experienced paraglider, surnamed Ou, told local media that very few people could have survived being dragged into such high altitudes.
‘This is truly miraculous,’ Ou said. ‘His mental resilience was extraordinary.’
Ou added that paragliders will typically come prepared for such flights with cold weather gear, as it would already be extremely cold at the take-off altitude.
But at 8,000 metres, temperatures can drop to as low as -40C, and oxygen supplies would be critically low, Jiupai News reported.
The paraglider can be seen dangling above the clouds – visibly frozen with his hair, beard, and protective gear covered in frost
The man miraculously remained conscious throughout the ordeal and managed to successfully land his parachute safely
The incident is now being investigated by local authorities.
A source told Jiupai News that he had failed to file the necessary flight plan – including getting airspace clearance for the launch site.
Chinese national aviation sports regulations state that aerial activities need prior airspace approval from air traffic control.
Paragliding activities have to be carried out according to a pre-arranged plan, and trips are prohibited under adverse weather conditions.
Changing flight plans without authorisation is also not allowed.
Penalties for those found in breach of the rules range from warning and fines to criminal charges, local media reports.
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