A man has lost his life after a tragic paragliding accident over the weekend that reportedly occurred shortly after the victim took off from a popular site near Roquebrune-Cap-Martin. 

The emergency services are believed to have been called out to a location near the Chemin des Vallières in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin at around midday on Sunday 4th February. 

Not much is known as yet about the incident, but France Azur Bleu has reported that a doctor who attended at the site of the accident suggested a “piloting error” made by the victim may have been the cause of the crash.

The deceased was reportedly in his forties and was of Hungarian nationality.

The Chemin des Vallières site is a popular place for take offs within the local paragliding community, but it has also been the location of a number of accidents over the years. 

The most recent was in November 2023, when a paraglider’s sails became entangled in nearby railway lines. Thankfully, no one was hurt during that incident, but it did cause considerable disruption to train travel between Ventimiglia and Nice. 

Paragliding is a popular sport in the area as it benefits from a unique microclimate that allows thrill-seeking paragliders to practice their sport year-round. 

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Photo source: Pop and Zebra, Unsplash