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Yahoo
11 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Chinese paraglider claims to survive accidental 8,000m-high flight
A Chinese paraglider has claimed to have survived being accidentally propelled 8,500m (27,800ft) into the sky above north-west China, state media report. Peng Yujiang, 55, says he was testing new equipment at 3,000m above sea level, over the Qilian mountains, when a rare updraft or air current known as a "cloud suck" pulled him about 5,000m higher into a cloud formation. Saturday's events were filmed on a camera mounted on Mr Peng's glider and has gone viral after being posted on Douyin, China's version of TikTok. The footage, which showed Mr Peng holding onto the glider's controls with his face and much of his body covered in ice crystals, has since been questioned by US broadcaster NBC. NBC said the logo of an artificial intelligence company had been cropped out of the footage. The BBC has been unable to independently verify the video, but the incident was widely reported in China, with Mr Peng giving an interview to journalists. "It was terrifying... Everything was white. I couldn't see any direction. Without the compass, I wouldn't have known which way I was going. I thought I was flying straight, but in reality, I was spinning," he told China Media Group. Mr Peng said he narrowly survived death as oxygen is thin at that altitude - slightly lower than the 8,849m peak of Mount Everest. Temperatures can also fall to -40C. "I wanted to come down quickly, but I just couldn't. I was lifted higher and higher until I was inside the cloud," he said. Mr Peng, who has been paragliding for four and a half years, said he might have lost consciousness during his descent. As a result of the footage, Mr Peng has been suspended for six months because the flight was unauthorised, state-run Global Times reported. Officials are also investigating the incident. Update 30 May 2025: An earlier of this article included a video of footage shared on Chinese social media and broadcast on state television purporting to show the paraglider's flight. This has been removed while we investigate further after questions were raised about its authenticity.
Mint
17 hours ago
- Climate
- Mint
Watch: Paraglider gets sucked into clouds as high as Mount Everest, captures video of terrifying experience at -40°C
On May 24, while flying in the Qilian Mountains, Peng Yujiang was pulled into a strong cloud vortex, also known as 'cloud suck', and rose to 8,598 metres (28200 feet). It was nearly as high as Mount Everest (29,030 feet). He had no oxygen masks. He survived extreme cold and high wind speeds that could cause frostbite in minutes. Luckily, he missed serious thunderstorms. At that height, it was -40°C with strong winds. Peng suffered frostbite and low oxygen levels but managed to record the entire 72-minute flight. The paraglider later said he knew he was in trouble when his hands went numb and he couldn't control the parachute properly. Though he recovered, his face and fingers were frostbitten. "It was terrifying... Everything was white. I couldn't see any direction. Without the compass, I wouldn't have known which way I was going. I thought I was flying straight, but in reality, I was spinning," the BBC quoted him as telling China Media Group. "I wanted to come down quickly, but I just couldn't. I was lifted higher and higher until I was inside the cloud," he added. Peng has only around five years of paragliding experience. Many online praised him for surviving and called him a legend. According to a fellow paraglider Peng is now a respected figure in the paragliding community. The interest in 'Paragliding' was sky-high on Google India during May 27-29: The interest in 'Paragliding' was sky-high on Google India during May 27-29 What happened next shocked many. The Chinese paraglider has now been banned from flying for six months. Authorities in Gansu punished him for not submitting a flight plan. They have also banned his companion Gu Zhimin for sharing the video online without permission. Peng Yujiang's flight was not officially approved. He, nevertheless, claimed he was doing ground paragliding training when strong winds lifted him up. The Gansu Aero Sports Association called it an accident, not illegal flying. Still, it suspended him from flying for six months, according to Sixth Tone. The decision was announced on May 28. Many people online were upset, asking why sharing a personal experience should be punished. However, others supported the move, saying it could stop thrill-seekers from trying risky stunts. Although he holds a valid paragliding licence, Peng said he didn't plan to fly that day. He was only training when he got pulled into the strong winds. Deeply shaken by the incident, Peng doesn't plan to fly again soon.
ABC News
a day ago
- General
- ABC News
Paraglider Peng Yujiang survives after being sucked 8km in the air over China
A paraglider has shared his extraordinary story of survival after being unexpectedly lifted into the upper atmosphere during a flight, reaching an altitude of 8,598 metres without oxygen, and narrowly escaping death. Peng Yujiang, 55, was conducting a routine equipment test on Saturday at a training site about 3,000m above sea level in north-west China's Gansu Province, when he was lifted in an unexpected updraft over the Qilian Mountains. "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," Mr Peng told China Media Group. What started as a calm session quickly turned dangerous when a sudden surge of wind pulled him into rapidly forming cumulonimbus clouds. Despite trying to descend, he became trapped in the cloud system. "I found myself surrounded by cumulonimbus clouds and trapped inside," he said. "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 north-east." Experts said Mr Peng encountered a rare and dangerous phenomenon known as "cloud suck", a condition in which strong convective updrafts carry paragliders to extreme altitudes. Inside such clouds, experts explained that temperatures can plummet to -40 degrees Celsius and oxygen levels are severely low. Without an oxygen mask and with his face exposed, Mr Peng endured freezing conditions as ice crystals formed on his face, body and equipment. His gloves were not fully zipped, leaving his hands numb and nearly frozen. Still, he managed to control his paraglider using his compass and radio communication with teammates. "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. I'm not sure about the future, but for now I definitely won't fly for a while," he said. Looking back at his flight data, he was shocked to learn he had reached 8,598 meters — far higher than he had realised mid-air. He suspects he may have briefly lost consciousness during descent. Mr Peng has been paragliding for four and a half years and holds a B-level licence — China's second tier in a five-level system, requiring at least 20 days of flight experience and a minimum of 40 individual flights. The Gansu provincial aeronautical sports association issued a report on Wednesday, local time, saying that ground parachute shaking does not require prior approval and that Mr Peng's experience was entirely an unforeseen accident. However, Mr Peng was still handed a six-month flight suspension, as the flight site and airspace had not been approved in advance. Reuters/ABC
Miami Herald
a day ago
- Climate
- Miami Herald
Paraglider Flies into ‘Death Zone,' Miraculously Survives
A Chinese paraglider has survived accidentally flying 8,500 meters into the sky - a "death zone" altitude. Peng Yujiang, 55, was flung into the "death zone" (above 8,000 meters), where the pressure of oxygen is considered insufficient to sustain human life, while testing new equipment over the Qilian mountains, in north-west China, on Saturday. A cloud suck (an updraft or air current), pushed him higher, into a cloud formation, when he was 3,000 meters above sea level. "It was terrifying, everything was white," Peng told Chinese state media the China Media Group, "I couldn't see any direction." "Without the compass, I wouldn't have known which way I was going. I thought I was flying straight, but in reality, I was spinning," he said. This is a developing story - more to follow. Related Articles Footage Shows China and Ally Flexing Military MusclesChina Reacts to Trump Tariffs BombshellChinese Bombers Seen in South China Sea Amid US Aircraft Carrier PatrolHow China Became the World's Largest Debt Collector 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Daily News Egypt
a day ago
- Sport
- Daily News Egypt
China Hosts World's First Humanoid Robot Fighting Competition
HANGZHOU, China – The world's first international fighting tournament among humanoid robots has taken place in the Chinese city of Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. The China Media Group (CMG) organized the competition, as reported by CGTN, a partner of TV BRICS. The tournament was divided into two parts: a demonstration segment and a competitive segment. In the first part, robots showcased their combat skills through single and group performances. In the second part, operators controlled the robots in real time using a special system. Each bout consisted of three rounds, each lasting two minutes. Punches were evaluated according to a point system: one point was awarded for an accurate punch with the hand, and three points for a kick with the foot. A participant lost five points for a knockdown, and if a robot did not get up within eight seconds, it was immediately disqualified. The robot controlled by operator Lu Xin emerged as the winner. In the final round, Lu Xin's robot knocked out its opponent in all three rounds. According to an equipment tester, professional athletes were involved in the preparation of the robots. Sensors were fitted to the athletes to record their movements. This data then formed the basis of training algorithms using artificial intelligence, which enabled the robots to practice various punches, from hooks to uppercuts.
