Tourist killed in paragliding accident in Da Nang bought insurance, signed liability waiver

The municipal Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism on Wednesday afternoon issued an official dispatch regarding the fatal incident, which involved a paragliding service operated by Tropical Forest Trading and Services One Member Co., Ltd..

Preliminary reports identified the victim as H.Q.T., a visitor from Ho Chi Minh City.

The tourist had booked a non-motorized paragliding tour offered on Son Tra Peninsula, a popular destination known for its scenic coastline and mountainous terrain.

Before the flight, both the tourist and the service provider had completed mandatory procedures, including checking in at the control station, purchasing accident insurance, and signing a waiver exempting the company from liability.

When the accident occurred, the accompanying pilot immediately alerted the company, according to the municipal department.

Rescue efforts were launched in coordination with the firefighting and rescue division, the Son Tra Ward police agency, border guards, and the Management Board of Son Tra Peninsula and Da Nang Tourist Beaches.

The tragedy happened when the pilot was controlling the paraglider from the summit of Son Tra Mountain toward the landing area.

The tourist fell into a forested area near Bien Dong Resort on the peninsula, while the pilot continued flying for a short distance before crashing onto a coastal sandbank.

Rescuers later found the male tourist dead at the scene while the pilot was taken to hospital in critical condition.

The department expressed its condolences, while the service provider covered all funeral and related expenses for the victim’s family.

Nguyen Trong Thao, deputy head of the municipal department, said that all paragliding activities had temporarily been suspended on the peninsula to review operational procedures.

Paragliding services on Son Tra Peninsula have been operating under a pilot program approved by the Da Nang People's Committee since June 2023.

Tropical Forest is one of five companies licensed by the city to provide paragliding services there.