3 min readNew DelhiMay 25, 2026 12:15 PM IST
A regular adventure turned into a nightmare for a paraglider after she was hit by a small aircraft over the Austrian Alps, sending her into a dangerous spin. The incident unfolded on Saturday afternoon near Schmittenhöhe mountain, a well-known paragliding destination in northern Austria.
According to the New York Post, Sabrina, a 44-year-old seasoned paraglider, was airborne with a mounted camera when a sightseeing plane suddenly flew through her canopy. The viral video shows the plane narrowly missing her head. Despite the spin, she successfully activated her emergency parachute and landed safely.
The video also shows Sabrina spiralling downward, screaming as she struggles to regain control. With her primary canopy badly damaged, she quickly deployed her reserve parachute while descending.
Watch here:
🚨 WATCH: A paraglider gets hit by a Cessna 172 near the Austrian town of Zell am See.
The paraglider was able to pull her rescue parachute and land safely shortly after the incident on Saturday.
According to police, the 44-year-old Austrian had started from Schmittenhöhe in… pic.twitter.com/HYQ7euRu57
— Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) May 24, 2026
The video has since gone viral, drawing a wave of reactions. “This paragliding pilot was definitely trained by the falcon Seppi! Cool reaction! Well done!” a user wrote. “How does a paraglider collide with a plane doing 200KPH? More likely the pilot was asleep at the wheel, Maria never considers these possibilties,” another user commented.
“Insane close call! Incredible skill and luck that both walked away safely. That reserve chute deployment was textbook perfect. Nature and machines don’t mix well!” a third user reacted.
Emergency responders later arrived by helicopter and flew her to a nearby airport for medical evaluation. “The propeller of the motor plane severely damaged the paraglider, prompting the experienced paraglider to deploy her reserve parachute,” the police said, as quoted by NBC News.
Authorities confirmed that neither Sabrina nor the pilot suffered serious injuries. After landing at Zell am See Airport, the 28-year-old pilot reportedly told officials he had been unable to prevent the crash.
In a post shared later, Sabrina said she escaped with only bruises and contusions. “I actually still can’t believe that I’m sitting here typing this and apart from a few nasty bruises and bruises all around nothing really happened,” she wrote on Instagram in German.
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DISCLAIMER: The details and accompanying social media footage are presented for informational and trending interest purposes to cover a public safety incident. They do not constitute an official investigation, legal assessment, or authoritative safety guidance for aviation or extreme sports activities.
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