Paraglider survived being sucked 8.5km into the sky in rare ‘cloud suction'
He reportedly became trapped in a rare 'cloud suction' that pulled him more than 8.5km into the air during a flight over China.
The paraglider, who miraculously survived the ordeal on Saturday, caught the nerve-shredding moments on camera.
His jaw-dropping footage has now gone viral on social media.
He took off for his flight from an altitude of around 3,000 metres over the Qilian Mountains according to local media reports.
But the paraglider quickly malfunctioned and became uncontrollable, as he was dragged up thousands on feet into the clouds.
He was sucked to the sort of heights at which passenger aeroplanes might cruise.
The footage lays bare the icy conditions he had to endure, suffering from extensive frostbite at the terrifying altitude.
He can be seen clinging onto his parachute for dear life in the frightening conditions.
Visibility is initially poor at the start of the clip as the paraglider is sucked to high altitudes over the mountains.
But at the peak of the trip, he can be seen dangling over the clouds – visibly freezing cold and covered in frost.
He was not wearing an oxygen mask, fully exposing him to the hostile elements.
However, the man miraculously remained conscious throughout the ordeal and successfully brought his parachute to a safe landing.
He later recalled experiencing hypoxia and having his hands exposed to the blistering cold above the clouds, local media reported.
'I just kept communicating over the radio the entire time,' he said.
An experienced paraglider, surnamed Ou, told local media that few people would survive being pulled to 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 takeoff altitude.
But at 8,000 metres, temperatures can drop to as low as -40, and oxygen supplies would be critically low, Jiupai News reported.
The incident is now being investigated by regulatory 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 prearranged 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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