An Austrian paraglider survived after her glider was struck by an airplane during a flight over the Alps, in an incident captured by a camera attached to her equipment.
The footage shows the moment the aircraft passes through the paraglider’s canopy just a few meters above the pilot, tearing the fabric and causing her to spin uncontrollably through the air.
According to Austrian authorities, the 44-year-old woman was flying in the Piesendorf area near Mount Schmittenhöhe when she was struck by a Cessna 172 light aircraft piloted by a 28-year-old man. The pilot said he was unable to avoid the collision.
Despite the impact, the paraglider managed to deploy her reserve parachute before reaching the ground. She carried out an emergency landing on a forest road and was rescued by a local police helicopter, escaping the incident with only a few bruises and minor scrapes.
“I still can’t really believe I’m sitting here typing this — and that apart from some unpleasant bruises and a few general bumps, absolutely nothing serious happened,” Sabrina wrote on her Instagram profile.
Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident and forwarded a report to Austria’s aviation authorities.
🚨 WATCH: A paraglider gets hit by a Cessna 172 near the Austrian town of Zell am See.
The paraglider was able to pull her rescue parachute and land safely shortly after the incident on Saturday.
According to police, the 44-year-old Austrian had started from Schmittenhöhe in… pic.twitter.com/HYQ7euRu57
— Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) May 24, 2026
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