One man is in a serious condition after he collided with two other paragliders before plummeting into the sea in front of horrified onlookers, just a day before another performer almost died when she “swallowed her tongue” in mid-air.
The first accident occurred during the 21st International Ölüdeniz Air Games Festival in Oludeiz, Turkey on Sunday.
It left one man, identified as Çağdaş Türkmen, in a “serious” condition in hospital, according to local reports.
Kars and Murat Can Sak, the other two men, were taken for treatment at a nearby hospital, according to Spuntnik News.
Video footage from the scene shows spectators gazing into the sky from Belcekiz Beach as the paragliders become entangled and drop into the water below.
In a separate clip rescuers can be seen diving into the water and helping a person who was face down in the water before taking them to the shore on a stretcher.
Ibrahim Kars and Murat Can Sak made a single jump from the 1500 runway of Babadağ in the nearby mountains before colliding in mid air. The runway is one of the highest commercial take-off sites in the world.
Ukrainian national Maria Protsluk, 28, also left from this take-off site before “her tongue slipped into her throat,” according to local reports, and she fell into the water.
She survived thanks to the intervention of the Coast Guard Command teams, who were with her within one minute, reports stated.
Protsluk was taken to a private hospital in Fethiye and was discharged today after being kept under observation overnight after her accident yesterday.
MSN Haber in Turkey wrote that Protsluk, who reached the officials of the Coast Guard Command by phone, said: “I learned that you arrived at the area where I fell within 1 minute.
“I am alive now as a result of your intervention. I thank you all very much.”
Hundreds of aerobatic pilots from different countries participated in batman and low altitude free jumps, high speed small paragliding shows, mosquito, microlight and hot air balloon shows.
The Turkish Aeronautical Association also performed a motorised paragliding show, according to Raillynews.