A 23-year-old Israeli man who had recently completed his military service died in a paragliding accident in Medellín, Colombia, after the glider he was riding in lost control and crashed into a cliff in a wooded area, according to local reports.
The accident occurred around noon local time Wednesday. The Colombian pilot operating the paraglider was seriously injured and taken to a hospital for treatment.
According to reports in Colombia, weather conditions are believed to have contributed to the crash. The paraglider apparently lost control before plunging into a forested area and striking a cliff.
Witnesses reported strong winds in the area shortly before the crash.
Firefighters and rescue crews were dispatched to the scene, where they recovered the Israeli traveler’s body. He was pronounced dead at the scene, while emergency personnel evacuated the injured pilot to a hospital.
Investigators from the Colombian Attorney General’s Office Technical Investigation Corps, known by its Spanish initials CTI, arrived at the crash site to conduct a forensic examination and collect evidence as authorities began investigating the circumstances of the accident.
(Photo: Chabad Colombia)
Authorities also inspected the paragliding company involved in the flight and found that its documentation was valid and in compliance with legal requirements, according to the reports. The business was not ordered to close, though authorities said the investigation would continue to determine what caused the crash.
The Israeli was traveling in Colombia as part of the extended overseas trip commonly taken by young Israelis after completing their mandatory military service.
Following news of the accident, Rabbi Levi Vanunu, a Chabad emissary in Medellín, began working closely with the Israeli Embassy and Colombian authorities to expedite the necessary procedures for repatriating the man’s body to Israel for burial.
Israeli officials and the local Chabad representative were working to complete the bureaucratic arrangements as quickly as possible so his remains could be returned to his family in Israel.