Chinese paraglider survives accidental flight in the clouds without oxygen
Chinese paraglider Peng Yujiang is lucky to be back on the ground after surviving a powerful updraft that suddenly lifted him into the upper atmosphere above the Qilian Mountains in China's Gansu Province Saturday.
Peng reportedly went soaring 8,598 metres or about 28,208 feet without oxygen; amateur video shared by Chinese state media showed Peng with ice covering his face and clothes while drifting in the clouds.
'I had just bought a second-hand paragliding harness and wanted to test it, so I was conducting ground parachute shaking. After a while, the wind suddenly picked up and lifted me into the air. I tried to land as soon as possible, but I failed,' Peng told Chinese state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) Tuesday.
'I found myself surrounded by cumulonimbus clouds and trapped inside. It was terrifying — everything around me was white. Without the compass, I wouldn't have known which direction I was heading. I thought I was flying straight, but in reality, I was spinning. Eventually, I managed to fly out toward the northeast,' he added.
Peng says he was shocked to learn he reached such a high altitude and believe he might have briefly lost consciousness, state media reports.
Peng has been paragliding for more than four years and is a certified B-level paraglider which requires at least 20 days of flight experience, per CCTV.
He was able to control his paraglider using his compass and radio communication with teammates despite having nearly frozen and numb hands, state media reports.
'As soon as I came out of the clouds, I was very excited because I had survived. The scariest moment was when I tried to pull out of the spiral and failed and when the canopy nosedived. It's still frightening to think about,' Peng told CCTV.
'I'm not sure about the future, but for now I definitely won't fly for a while,' he added.
Written by Jennifer Hauser, CNN
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Globe and Mail
a day ago
- Globe and Mail
Jianmen Shu Road · Hometown of the Empress – Sichuan Guangyuan Invites Everyone to Experience the Beauty of China
Video Link: The Jianmen Pass Dear friends,Welcome to Guangyuan, Sichuan Province, China! Come and experience the unique charm of this land known as the 'Jianmen Shu Road, Hometown of the Empress.' Walk the ancient Shu Road that has stood for over a thousand years, embrace the centuries-old cypress trees planted by hand along the historic post route of Cuiyun Corridor; immerse yourself in the intangible cultural heritage of Zhaohua Ancient City and feel the enduring appeal of Three Kingdoms culture; take a leisurely stroll by Yuechi Lake in the Moon Dam Wetland and lose yourself in picturesque scenery like that of a poetic painting. Cuiyun Corridor Zhaohua Ancient City Guangyuan, historically known as Lizhou, is famed as the 'Gateway to Northern Sichuan and the Throat of Shu Roads.' It is a brilliant gem and cultural city along the ancient Shu Road, boasting world-class cultural and tourism resources and a distinct urban identity. It is the hometown of Wu Zetian, the only female emperor in Chinese history, where her legacy and influence remain deeply imprinted. With its profound historical heritage and exceptional natural endowment, Guangyuan is a city cherished by both history and nature. As the core corridor of the ancient Shu Road, places like Jianmen Pass and the ancient plank road of Mingyue Gorge tell the timeless story of the 'hard road to Shu' and embody the heroic spirit of 'one man guards the pass, ten thousand cannot break through.' The millennium-old cypress trees of Cuiyun Corridor stand tall as living fossils of ecological civilization; the Thousand-Buddha Cliff rock carvings shine with the brilliance of ancient stone art; the bricks and tiles of Zhaohua Ancient City carry the deep memory of Bashu civilization; and Zengjia Mountain, a cool and refreshing retreat, has been hailed as one of China's top ten summer resorts. Here, the Jialing River winds gracefully through the city, the Micang and Longmen Mountains mirror each other beautifully, and the Tangjiahe Nature Reserve teems with vitality—forming a magnificent landscape of mountains and rivers. Guangyuan is also an integrated transportation hub linking Southwest and Northwest China and connecting inland regions with the sea. With increasingly prominent location advantages, the city is accelerating the transformation of its cultural and tourism resources into economic strengths, vigorously developing domestic and international tourism markets, sparking new momentum, shaping new advantages, and achieving new development. The Tangjiahe Nature Reserve Jinyue Lake On July 22, 2025, Guangyuan officially announced its decision to build itself into a major international cultural tourism destination along the Grand Shu Road and a premier health and wellness vacation resort, striving toward becoming an international tourism city. In this new era, Guangyuan is embracing the world and connecting globally with its strategic location, convenient transportation, and open and inclusive attitude. From July 25 to 26, 2025, the 'Walking in China · 2025 Overseas Chinese Media Sichuan-Chongqing Tour' arrived in Guangyuan. Representatives from over 20 major Chinese-language media outlets from various countries visited key districts and counties including Lizhou, Jiange, and Zhaohua, experiencing firsthand the cultural and tourism charm of Guangyuan. Against this backdrop, on July 26, the 2025 Overseas Chinese Media Sichuan-Chongqing Tour Guangyuan Cultural and Tourism Promotion Conference was held under the theme 'Telling the Story of the Shu Road to the World.' Media representatives discussed strategies for global communication and released a joint initiative titled Telling the Story of the Shu Road to the World, showcasing their passion for Shu Road culture and their dedication to promoting China's excellent traditional culture to the world. The joint initiative aims to support Guangyuan in building itself into a 'Grand Shu Road International Cultural Tourism Destination and Health Resort,' creating an international tourism city that reflects a blend of global appeal, Chinese essence, Bashu charm, and Guangyuan style. Together, let us shine a brighter light on the cultural tourism brand of 'Jianmen Shu Road, Hometown of the Empress, Red Revolutionary Land, and Health Resort.' Media Contact Company Name: Globalnewsonline Contact Person: Hysan Jiang Email: Send Email Country: United States Website:
CBC
6 days ago
- CBC
Heading outdoors? Tips to stay alive during deadly weather
From tornado warnings to dangerous storms, inclement weather is becoming more common. But what happens if you're caught in the middle of that during a trip outdoors? CBC's Omar Dabaghi-Pacheco visited a survival school to bring you some tips.
Globe and Mail
7 days ago
- Globe and Mail
B.C.'s Eleven Revelstoke Lodge is a boutique hotel for adventure seekers in all seasons
Revelstoke is one of my favourite B.C. ski towns. In 2021, I spent a week floating through deep powder and steep treed runs of Revelstoke mountain, an otherwise terrible year marred by pandemic shutdowns. So when I returned to Revy on a sunny June day, I was already half in love with this gritty little town of 8,000, a mecca for skiers and boarders. The other half was slightly bewildered by the mountain bikes, hiking shoes, climbing gear and canoes on display. A summer Revelstoke? This would require some adjustment. The elegant and decidedly upscale Eleven Revelstoke Lodge helped make that painless. Why you should visit Unlike the other heli-skiing adventure lodges owned by Colorado-based tour company Eleven, which are scattered in remote parts of Iceland, Patagonia and New Zealand, the Revelstoke property is on a main street in the middle of a former mining and logging town in the interior of B.C. The 1911 heritage red brick building has been a tobacco shop, a billiard hall, a bowling alley and a dentist's office, among other things, before the latest renovations by design firm Twelve Interiors (yes, you read that right). With 12 bedrooms and space for 24 people, Eleven is a boutique hotel, grand but unassuming from the outside. The magic starts when you enter. The hotel is a feast for the eyes, with vibrant colours, refurbished furniture, varying textures and elegant finishings with a mid-century-modern-meets-boho appeal. Marlin Fontaine, a 53-year-old hotel guest from Regina, was on a road trip with a friend when they stumbled across the lodge. 'I saw the beautiful front doors and the wooden bar and thought that someone had put a lot of thought into this place,' Fontaine said. The rooftop terrace has a fire pit, hot tub, red cedar sauna, steam room and ice plunge. The outdoor seating is casual, with plenty of cushions amid potted plants and stunning views of the surrounding mountains that, yes, did make me momentarily ache for my skis. The cozy third-floor indoor space is where I spent most of my time. A wooden bar stretches across one end, with a Nespresso coffee maker for us early risers, a plush couch and cozy armchairs facing a wood-burning fireplace. There's a record player and a collection of vinyl tucked in the corner. An L-shaped couch facing a large television anchors the adjoining room, with wrap-around window views of the snow-capped Monashee Mountains. The entire space has plush carpets and an array of books on topics from nature to architecture, biographies to fiction and, yes, skiing. My two-storey suite had a main-floor mini-bar fridge stocked with water (in a reusable metal container), a portable radio, a couch, chairs and more books. Upstairs, I was delighted by the reading light and cellphone charging pad by my king-sized bed, which brought new meaning to the word comfortable. Many guests come to Eleven looking for adventure – and the staff takes that seriously. They've partnered with local vendors to book any outdoor activity your heart desires and your legs can handle for an extra fee. I spent an afternoon white-water rafting with Apex Rafting. After a short bus ride and good deal of instruction, our group geared up and set out for a half-day of adrenalin-pumping action. Our guide calmly propelled us 26 kilometres down a glacier-fed river, through churning water, rocks and rapids, and, at moments, gentle waters, all of it framed by jaw-dropping natural beauty. That's the thing about summer Revy: It kept surprising and delighting me. Long seen as a pit stop for travellers winding their way from Vancouver to Jasper, Alta., Revelstoke is quietly emerging as a warm-weather destination, says Nina Frohlicher, general manager of Eleven Canada, a Swiss native who settled in Revy seven years ago. 'This town is up and coming for summer. We're a destination on our own – there's so much to do here and we want people to stay longer,' she said. Breakfast for lodge guests is included in the adjacent restaurant, the Quartermaster Eatery. The shrimp toast with avocado was delicious but the potato rosti that accompanied the eggs was my morning highlight. There's a tiny cocktail bar for guests tucked away in the basement of the lodge, which opens sporadically, as well as a gym and wellness area, where you can book a massage. Room for improvement If you're someone who likes to unpack their clothes, you'll find the layout of the three Eleven suites frustrating – there's a narrow space to hang some clothing on each side of the bed. To reach the one chest of drawers, you'll have to go up and down the stairs. Given that Eleven Revelstoke is surrounded by buildings, there are limited views from the bedrooms. My suite faced a parking lot so I kept the day shades lowered. Similarly, the rooftop lounge overlooks electrical wires, and you can hear and see the train from the hot tub space. I found it charming, but not everyone will. Since you're in the neighbourhood From December to March, only heli-skiers who book with Kingfisher Heli-Skiing can stay at Eleven Revelstoke Lodge. But in the summer months, it's open to all guests. And if extreme outdoor adventure is not your jam, there are scenic walks and light hikes you can undertake in or near the bustling town, home to shops, restaurants and cafés, as well as a growing music and arts scene. The take-away Revelstoke Lodge isn't geared for small children or large families. The rooms are set up for two people, and the vibe in the shared spaces is decidedly adult. Older kids could comfortably stay, since three of the bedrooms offer split king beds. But it's an ideal place for couples with communal or opposing passions; say, one goes hiking while the other fly fishes, then they meet up for dinner and a rooftop soak. Me? I'd happily travel there with my skis or my hikers. The writer was a guest of Eleven Revelstoke Lodge. It did not review or approve the story before publication.
