Teen, 16, plunges to death in horror paragliding accident on family holiday
Hussein Mearbany fell hundreds of metres to his death while tied to a paraglider in Sahel Alma, Lebanon, with tributes remembering the teen who 'wanted to feel the adrenaline of flying'
A teenager has died and a paragliding instructor reportedly went on the run following a horror accident during what was supposed to be a dream family holiday.
Hussein Mearbany, 16, fell to his death while paragliding in Sahel Alma, a picturesque seaside village in Lebanon, with an instructor while on holiday with his family. The teen, from Western Sydney, Australia, plummeted around 300 metres and died instantly on May 10 after reportedly slipping out from an improperly fastened paragliding harness. The instructor is now the subject of an investigation, but local media reports he fled the scene after the accident.
According to local media, the owner of the paragliding company has been arrested and all paragliding excursions have been suspended in the surrounding Jounieh area, around 40 minutes outside of Beirut. Police are now reviewing video footage of the horror incident to try and work out what happened.
Speaking to 7NEWS Australia, the teenager's cousin Sam said he and his family were only two weeks into their holiday when tragedy struck, and that a funeral for the teen was arranged in Lebanon. She said: "When his father heard the news, he flew from Sydney to Lebanon to see him.
"The day they leave Lebanon is going to be the hardest day of their life." Hussein's family shared a plea with Lebanese authorities via Al Arabiya Lebanon to take action against those responsible for his shock death.
So far, police have arrested the owner of the paragliding company, which operated out of nearby Jounieh, as they continue to search for the missing instructor.
As Hussein's family deals with the devastation in Lebanon, friends have paid tribute to the teen, with one person posting online saying he "wanted to feel the adrenaline of flying".
They wrote: "(He) went to Lebanon for a holiday — full of dreams, excitement, and the energy of youth. Like many young men, he wanted to feel the adrenaline of flying, so he went hang gliding off the mountain peaks of Lebanon. What was meant to be a moment of thrill became his final moment.
"May Allah grant his family patience and reunite them with him in the highest levels of Jannah. And as for us — still breathing, still planning, still distracted — take this as a wake-up call. The only promise in life is death."
A spokesperson for the Austrailian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed the office is offering consular assistance to the family of an Australian who died in Lebanon. They sais: "We send our deepest condolences to their family at this difficult time,' a spokesperson said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
21 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Brit backpacker, 24, could face 20 years in prison over e-scooter crash
Psychology graduate Alicia Kemp, 24, is being held in an Australian jail after being charged over a fatal e-scooter crash - her parents have flown out to be with her A 24-year-old British backpacker could face up to 20 years in jail after she was charged over the death of a man in an e-scooter crash, with her parents flying to Australia. An Australian court denied bail to Alicia Kemp, 24, from Redditch, Worcestershire, after she was charged with death by dangerous driving while under the influence. She was allegedly involved in an e-scooter crash that resulted in the death of Thanh Phan, 51, from a fatal head injury last Saturday. The psychology graduate allegedly hit Phan from behind as she sped down a Perth footpath while her friend was a passenger on the same scooter. Kemp could face up to 20 years behind bars if found guilty. A neighbour of Kemp's parents in Redditch claimed they had flown to Australia on Tuesday in order to to be with their daughter. Prosecutors said Kemp had a blood alcohol level of 0.158 when she "careered" into Phan's back at 25km per hour. The court heard pedestrians needed to "take evasive action" to avoid Kemp's "dangerous" scooter riding. The 26-year-old passenger suffered a fractured skull and broken nose in the crash. Kemp faces an additional charge of dangerous driving occasioning bodily harm while under the influence for injuries suffered by her passenger Kemp had been on a four-month tourist visa with her partner and was working at the Durty Nelly's Irish Pub in Perth at the time of the incident. Kemp's bail was denied after a magistrate ruled she posed a significant flight risk. The magistrate said: "It's a very difficult decision for the court to make. The temptation might be that [she] won't return… I can't manage that risk." Phan's family described him as a "beloved husband, father-of-two, brother, and dear friend", and have since called for a crackdown on safety laws around e-scooters. "We also call for a review of the governance and safety regulations surrounding hired e-scooters to help prevent further serious incidents that put lives at risk," the family said. Kemp remains in custody and is set to return to court on July 15. Police in Western Australia said they will continue to investigate whether additional charges, including public nuisance charges, could be brought against her.
Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Scottish Sun
Parents of Brit backpacker, 24, facing 20 years in prison over fatal e-scooter crash fly to Australia
The Brit had also been drinking for six hours before the crash, according to reports HOLIDAY NIGHTMARE Parents of Brit backpacker, 24, facing 20 years in prison over fatal e-scooter crash fly to Australia Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE parents of a British backpacker facing 20 years in prison over a fatal e-scooter crash have flown to Australia to be with their daughter. Alicia Kemp, 24, was denied bail in an Australian court after being charged over the horror smash that left 51-year-old Thanh Phan with fatal head injuries last Saturday. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 5 Alicia Kemp, 24, was denied bail in an Australian court after being charged over the horror smash Credit: TikTok / aliciashona 5 The psychology graduate from Redditch, Worcestershire, is accused of striking Phan from behind while speeding down a footpath Credit: TikTok / aliciashona 5 Thanh Phan, 51, was a devoted dad-of-two killed in the e-scooter crash Credit: LinkedIn The psychology graduate from Redditch, Worcestershire, is accused of striking Phan from behind while speeding down a footpath in Perth with a friend on board as a passenger. The Brit had also been drinking for six hours before the crash, reports The Sydney Morning Herald. A neighbour in Redditch revealed that her parents had flown to Australia on Tuesday to be with their daughter, according to The Times. Prosecutors said Kemp had a blood alcohol content of 0.158 when she 'careered into his back' at up to 25km/h as the dad stood at a crossing on Saturday night. The court heard walkers had to 'take evasive action' to avoid Kemp's 'inexplicably dangerous' riding, which was captured on CCTV. Her 26-year-old passenger also suffered a fractured skull and broken nose. Kemp, who was in Australia on a four-month tourist visa with her partner, had been working at Durty Nelly's Irish Pub in Perth. She had been drinking with a friend from 2.30pm - who was kicked out of a bar for being too drunk - before they hired the e-scooter just before 8.30pm. Her bail bid was rejected after a magistrate ruled she posed too great a flight risk. 'It's a very difficult decision for the court to make,' the magistrate said. Brit tourist, 18, reported missing for days in Thailand is arrested on 'drug offences' in Georgia 4,000 miles away 'The temptation might be that [she] won't return… I can't manage that risk.' Phan's devastated family described him as a 'beloved husband, father of two, brother, and dear friend', and are now calling for a crackdown on e-scooter safety laws. 'We also call for a review of the governance and safety regulations surrounding hired e-scooters to help prevent further serious incidents that put lives at risk,' they said in a statement. In a statement released through police, Phan's grieving family pleaded for privacy and called on authorities to tighten e-scooter hire regulations. 'We also call for a review of the governance and safety regulations surrounding hired e-scooters to help prevent further serious incidents that put lives at risk,' they said. Kemp remains in custody on remand and is due back in court on July 15. Police prosecutors argued that Kemp's status as a foreign tourist working in Perth made her a flight risk, and highlighted the severity of her charges. Western Australian police have confirmed they will continue to investigate whether any additional offences, including possible public nuisance charges, could be laid against Kemp. 5 The Brit had also been drinking for six hours before the crash, reports The Sydney Morning Herald Credit: TikTok / aliciashona
STV News
2 days ago
- STV News
Bargain Hunt star jailed over art sales linked to suspected Hezbollah financier
A BBC Bargain Hunt art expert has been jailed for two-and-a-half years for failing to report high-value art sales to a man suspected of financing the militant group Hezbollah. Oghenochuko Ojiri, 53, from Brent, north London, sold around £140,000 worth of artwork to Nazem Ahmad, a man designated by US authorities as a suspected financier for the Lebanese organisation, a court heard last month. Ojiri, from Brent, north London, previously pleaded guilty to eight offences under section 21A of the Terrorism Act 2000. He is believed to be the first person to be charged under the specific offence. The art dealer, who also appeared on the BBC's Antiques Road Trip, was charged with failing to disclose information about transactions in the regulated art market on or before dates between October 2020 and December 2021. US prosecutors say Mr Ahmad was a 'major Hezbollah financial donor' who used high-value art and diamonds to launder money and fund the group. He is accused of helping to evade terrorism sanctions by using front companies to obtain more than $160 million (£120 million) worth of art and diamond services. After new money laundering rules brought the art market under HMRC supervision in January 2020, Ojiri reportedly discussed the changes with a colleague, indicating he was aware of the regulations. The court previously heard that the total value of the artwork sold was around £140,000. Ojiri was sentenced to two years and six months in prison at the Old Bailey on Friday, with a further year to be spent on licence. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
