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On the morning of Sunday, November 3, a 50-year-old man tragically lost his life while attempting a high-speed paragliding flight, known as “speed flying,” from Pedra Bonita in São Conrado, in Rio de Janeiro’s South Zone. The accident, which occurred just before 10 a.m., was captured on video, showing the moment the pilot stumbled after takeoff and subsequently fell. Bystanders near the takeoff ramp reported that the man appeared to trip over a hole, which may have disrupted his launch. In a video recording of the scene, a woman can be heard exclaiming, “Oh my God, he tripped. Where is the man? I can’t believe he fell.”
Bruno Menescal, vice president of the São Conrado Free Flight Club (CSCLV), expressed his condolences and emphasized that paragliding flights in the region are strictly regulated, involving only licensed pilots using approved equipment. Menescal explained that the man had arrived at the site alone, parked his motorcycle at the entrance to the National Park, and walked up to Pedra Bonita to begin his flight. Tragically, after his unsuccessful takeoff, he fell from a height of 250 meters.
Firefighters from multiple nearby stations, including Alto da Boa Vista, Lagoa, and Humaitá, searched for the pilot’s body for nearly four hours. The challenging terrain made retrieval difficult, but by 1:40 p.m., they successfully recovered the body from a rocky area. The remains were then transported to the headquarters of the São Conrado Free Flight Club and later sent to the Legal Medical Institute (IML) in downtown Rio for further examination.
Menescal clarified that paragliding in the Pedra Bonita area generally follows strict safety protocols. Licensed pilots use an official ramp to take off, where they gather momentum by running to inflate the canopy, which allows them to glide safely. Access to this ramp is controlled by the São Conrado Free Flight Club, which provides accredited instructors to guide and oversee flights. However, Menescal noted that the man did not appear to use the designated takeoff area managed by the club, and as a result, he may not have had the benefit of the safety checks and guidance provided by the CSCLV, Brazil’s oldest flying club, known for maintaining daily safety supervision at the ramp.
The exact cause of the accident is still under investigation, though the trip just before takeoff may have compromised the stability and direction of his launch. This tragic incident has raised questions about safety measures for independent flyers and the importance of controlled environments for extreme sports in the region.